Meet the student

Kate Forrester, Certificate of Higher Education in Journalism 2009

Kate, 23, studied on the Certificate of Higher Education in Journalism course while working for the Leader newspaper as a reporter. She now covers Flintshire for the North Wales Daily Post.

How did you find the course at Glyndŵr University?

The course was ideal for developing my skills and for giving me an industry-recognised qualification. I started as a reporter without a professional qualification so it was great that Glyndŵr worked in partnership with my then-employer to help my career progression.

What opportunities does the Certificate of Higher Education in Journalism open up?

I was lucky to have a reporting job before taking the course but for anyone looking to break in to local journalism I’d say this is the way to go. It meant that I could go on to take my senior qualification, which provides better career opportunities and in most newspaper companies leads to a pay rise.

How were you supported while studying the course?

I worked four days a week at the paper and spent every Friday at the university. We studied public affairs, media law, shorthand (an essential skill) and news writing. Initially it seemed like a lot of information to cram in to a short space of time but the way the course is designed to complement students’ existing experience is brilliant.

Those on the course who didn’t have a reporting job at the time were given two days’ work experience at either the Leader or one of its sister papers. In journalism real experience is just as important as academic proficiency so a course which combines the two is great.

The standard of teaching at the university was very high. We were taught by hugely experienced journalists and there were frequent talks from media experts to give us different perspectives.

How has your career developed since the course?

I spent some time working for the Southport Visiter and Liverpool Echo after leaving the Leader, before taking the opportunity to join the Daily Post. I’m really enjoying it. Ever since I first set foot in a newsroom I knew what it was what I wanted to do. Every day is different and you never know what’s around the corner. It can be stressful at times and you need to be confident in your own ability, but having a solid grounding in professional practice from an industry-recognised course is a good way to build that confidence.