YEAR THREE/ ALL STUDENTS: WORK ATTACHEMENT

I spoke today with Jim Latham at the BJTC about the issue of work attachment.

YEAR TWO AND YEAR ONE

In year three you will have to do the BJTC three week minimum in a working NEWSROOM engaged in NEWS output - normally during the massive December-February break or during Easter. Given the vital importance of work experience in getting a job many of you will want to do more if you can afford it. You can also try and do work attachments of any sort during year one and year two. You will not get help in arranging work attachments in year one and year two - we reserve help for year three - but you can undertake as many of these informal attachments as you like.

YEAR THREE

In October I sent/ will send a list of anyone who is continuing on the single hons course names to the BJTC who will then add / added them to a national register of BJTC third year and MA students. This list is then given to the BBC.

From November on you will be able to apply to the BBC for work experience at a newsroom of your choice (eg, BBC Solent). They will agree dates with you, for later in the year. The BBC does not anticipate that students will want to do their work attachment until the second semester because you will not have completed your training at the college (this is the case at Winchester because the third years won't have finished WINOL/law course until the end of semester one).

One student in the third year says she applied in November and has not heard anything yet. That is normal. They will get round to you, though there is no harm in chasing that up with a follow up email.

Later in the academic year in February or March anyone who wants to do a work attachment in a commercial radio newsroom either in addition to (there is no maximum on the number of attachments you can do) the BBC placement can apply to the BJTC, who will arrange it for you. For convenience the BJTC likes it if you give a list of THREE choices and a RANGE OF AVAILABLE DATES to me. I can then send all the requests in one go to the BJTC secretary, Jim Latham.

In year three we are now at that stage. A few students have given me a list of three stations but I need - in addition - your available dates.

CURRENT YEAR THREE STUDENTS

The regulations are slightly different for you. You only need to do TWO WEEKS work attachment and this can be in any editorial environment. (From next year onwards this requirement will change to a MINIMUM OF THREE WEEKS IN A BROADCAST/ONLINE NEWS ENVIRONMENT ONLY).

In summary for current year three students:

(1) You will get your degree so long as you have done two weeks work attachment in any editorial situation, but we would strongly recommend that this should be a thre week stint in local BBC or commerical radio if possible. This will help us in our relationship with the BJTC and will be in your best interests if you want to be a journalist.

(2) We need a letter from an editor saying you did the work attachment, and that it was at least two weeks. Alternatively you can have two letters for two different weeks. We need the letter by April 1st to Keith Edwards. If you are still waiting for a work attachment please just set out your plans or offer in a letter on the same day.

(3) If you are still waiting for an offer of a BBC local news work attachment for Easter or this summer, you should hear soon. If you have not heard by April 1st please let me know. You may wish to send now a second email reminding them and asking when they will decide.

(4) If you wish to do a commercial radio newsroom attachment please email me (Chris Horrie) again with your three choices, but this time please also give a range of dates. The wider the range of dates the more likely it is that you will get your first choice. When I have the list I will put a notice on this messageboard and then it will be a matter of waiting to hear from Jim Latham at the BJTC (he is pretty efficient).