In order to provide another view to those expressed in testimonial
letters published in your training supplement (Press Gazette, 15
April), I would like, for the benefit of newcomers to journalism, to
add my own experience.
On page five, Simon Rothstein implied that
there was only one qualification route that was supported by ‘all’
editors but, maybe through misunderstanding, his contention does not
reflect what is actually happening in regional newspapers. Magazines,
perhaps.
I was trained to successfully achieve the National
Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in newspaper writing, an award that
enabled me, after further workplace experience and responsibility, to
be promoted to editorship. And, because of my belief in the value of
NVQ, I have qualified as an assessor and internal verifier of the work
of other candidates.
There are many other senior journalists
around the country with the NVQ qualification, and I am aware of a
growing number of registrations with the awarding body and of the
future developments being planned by the Newspaper Qualifications
Council.
Martin Wright, editor, County Times series, Welshpool, Powys
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