A fantastic and well-rounded course packed with great sessions led by informed tutors.
The intense training and quick qualification put me in a great position to get political reporting jobs on national publications ahead of the 2015 General Election.
Lots of like-minded and dedicated fellow students to spur you on, but also some trying journalism for the first time, which proved a great mix.
By hook or by crook, BJW will make a professional journalist of you! The tutors are down to earth, know the syllabus inside out and genuinely care about your prospects. Shorthand classes are relentless, equipping you for the mental acrobatics you need to pass your exams by virtue of a combination of the tutors' sheer bloody-mindedness and their willingness to supplement the passages in the textbook with their own stock of recordings. Even the media law textbook seems much less daunting after a few weeks' worth of illuminating anecdotes from the field!
The college itself is also a stone's throw from the Level and St Peter's Church, nor is it far to the Pavilion Gardens and the Old Steine. The way there is lined with pubs begging for journalists' custom. Be sure to try out the Naan Hut opposite the entrance, too!
By the end of the fast-track course, you'll be familiar with the storied streets of Brighton, your sentences will be lean and hard-hitting and you'll be qualified to the hilt. What's not to like?
Within weeks of completing the course I was offered a job at as a sub-editor at a national newspaper, and as a communications officer at a public sector organisation and a national charity. Without doubt the course gave me the confidence to apply for these positions.
The opportunity to be published from the start and the chance to work with The Argus, The Brighton Independent and other media outlets gave me real experience to talk about at interview and now use daily in my work.
The tutors are excellent and exceptionally supportive. It s a challenging course, but worth the effort if you re after a career in the media.
BJW took my yearning to write, be published and have a voice and made me a journalist.
Brilliant personalities whose words have opened up the world. Law was especially brilliant, and finally understanding the 'system', government, was mind-blowing.
Experienced, knowledgeable teachers. Great environment to learn in.
I was custom-built to fail this course.
A bad pupil, a dreadful student and a week before the first day I'd shattered both bones in my forearm.
But, despite being in a full-arm cast for almost the entirety of the course, the tutors and staff pulled me through.
Not only that - I managed the gold standard too and landed a job before I'd even finished my time at Brighton Journalist Works.
I started at The Argus as a Trainee Reporter before going on to become a Senior Reporter specialising in education and editing my own 8-page weekly supplement.
During my three and a half years there I won the Regional Press Awards Young Journalist of the Year award which is a national accolade.
It allowed me to work for a string of national newspapers including the Daily Express, Daily Mirror and the Sunday Telegraph before eventually settling at the Daily Mail Online where I am currently the US/Foreign Reporter.
None of it would have been possible without BJW.
The training and skills you learn there, from shorthand to how to design a paper, doesn't need my endorsement - they get the job done.
I sat my exams with 20 people and all of them passed. Failing just doesn't happen.
But more important than the statistics, it was one of the most incredible six months of my life.
Almost five years on, coursemates are still mates.
That speaks volumes of the environment created by the team at BJW.
Just finished the intensive 16-week diploma with BJW, amazing place to do it, the staff are wonderful, highly recommended
A year ago, I was about to embark on the Brighton Journalist Works part-time course. I was a secondary school English teacher and although I had always been interested in journalism, I wasn t sure what I wanted to get out of the NCTJ. I thought it would be good to have another string to my bow but I wasn t specifically looking for a career change. When I had thought about pursuing journalism in the past, people had always put me off by telling me how badly paid and competitive the industry was. But I had a real passion for writing and thought the NCTJ would give me the chance to explore that.
Doing the NCTJ with Brighton Journalist Works was the best decision I ever made. In September I will be starting at the BBC as a trainee journalist. I would never have been able to get through the rigorous interview process or had the conviction to pursue my dream job without my training from BJW. Not only did BJW equip me perfectly with the skills I needed as a journalist but more importantly, the course gave me the confidence, passion and inspiration to pursue the career I always dreamed of but never thought possible.
I had the most challenging, fascinating and amazing year at BJW. The tutors have a wealth of experience in their field and this is communicated through their engaging lessons and continued support throughout the year. They have great contacts at Brighton Independent, The Argus and other local media outlets so if you have a nose for a good story, you are sure to get plenty of bylines.
Do not be put off if you are a bit older or changing careers- people from all walks of life do the NCTJ. In fact, I think going back into education after several years out of it made me enjoy it all the more. That said, you have to work hard, especially if you want Gold Standard. The exams are rigorous. I got up at 5.30 every morning to do an hour of shorthand before work and spent my evenings going over revision notes for law. You need to be bold, creative and independent to find stories for your portfolio.
It is not a course that you can go into half-heartedly, but if you are committed, passionate and up for a challenge you will be rewarded with a passport into journalism.
