March 3, 2014

BBC set to recruit 10 journalists under new apprenticeship scheme

A new journalism apprenticeship scheme is to be launched by the BBC later this year.

The scheme will be part of a wider apprenticeship plan involving journalism, business and law and will mean 170 apprentices are working at the BBC by October. Press Gazette understands that 10 of the apprentices will be journalists. The BBC hopes to use the scheme to provide non-graduates with a route into journalism.

BBC director general Tony Hall said: "The BBC is owned by every licence fee payer. And, to excel at what we do, it's really important that we look and feel like modern Britain."

The announcement comes after criticism that the corporation is not diverse enough. Hall said: "Our traditional one size fits all recruitment can be off-putting – and we don't necessarily get the best people applying to work with us."

A three-month scheme will also be set up in conjunction with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to teach broadcasting and production skills to up to 25 people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

These are the first BBC journalism apprenticeships announced since it was revealed last year that six school-leavers would be given the chance to break into radio journalism at the corporation.