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Sub-editor apprenticeships

Creative and media

Sub-editor apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • specialist courses offered by professional bodies


    • University

    You’ll usually need a degree in a relevant subject like: 

    • English 
    • journalism 
    • media studies 
    You can find relevant courses accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists. You can do a postgraduate journalism course if your first degree is not in a related subject.

    You'll usually need: 

    • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English
    • 2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree
    • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
    Apprenticeship
    You can work towards this role by starting with a Level 3 apprenticeship as a publishing assistant. Employers will set their own entry requirements. 

    Work
    You can work your way into this job by starting as a reporter or editorial assistant with a regional newspaper or magazine. This can help you to build up your experience of proofreading and text editing. It will also allow you to develop a portfolio of work that you can use to showcase your skills to potential employers.

    Volunteering

    You'll need to get some experience before applying for your first job in publishing. To build up your experience you can: 

    • volunteer for student and community newspapers
    • keep an online blog 
    • have an online presence on sites such as Twitter 
    • submit articles and reviews to local papers or websites 
    This is also a good way to develop contacts, as many jobs are not advertised.

    Other Routes
    You'll find it helpful to take a sub-editing course if you've already got some experience in journalism, PR or media communications. Courses are offered by organisations like:

    • National Council for the Training of Journalists
    • Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading 
    • The Publishing Training Centre 
    You'll also need to be able to use desktop publishing software for many sub-editing jobs.

    Professional and industry bodies
    You may find it useful to join organisations like the Society of Editors and Professional Publishers Association, for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

    Sub-editor apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need: 

    • knowledge of English language 
    • knowledge of media production and communication
    • the ability to read English 
    • excellent verbal communication skills
    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail 
    • excellent written communication skills 
    • the ability to work well with others 
    • to be flexible and open to change 
    • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

    Sub-editor apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    You will: 

    • make sure articles are accurate, read well and do not break libel or copyright laws 
    • edit articles to make them clearer or shorter 
    • make sure articles follow house style 
    • write headlines, captions and short paragraphs which lead into articles, and ‘panels’ which break up the text 
    • make sure articles are in the right place on each page 
    • use page layout and image editing software 
    • send completed pages to the printers 
    • work closely with reporters, editors, designers, production staff and printers
    Working environment
    You could work in an office.

    Career path and progression - Sub-editor apprenticeships

    With experience, you may be able to progress to production editor or chief sub-editor. You could also use your journalism experience to move into PR or work as a press or communications officer.

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    Considering an Apprenticeship?

    There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

    • Paid Training
      Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
    • Range of career opportunities
      There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
    • Earn & learn
      As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
    • Great career prospects
      Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
    • Learn on the job
      There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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