whats work my precious?
"The NCTJ offers a magazine route into journalism. For this, there are five exams to be taken and a portfolio to be completed.

News writing: candidates write a news story of 275-325 words from material provided; two short stories (one 70-80 words, another 40-50 words); and suggest three ideas to follow up a given story using a variety of publication platforms.

Public affairs: central government: four questions on central government. Time allowed is two hours.

Media law: general reporting: examines general reporting (excluding court reporting). Takes in defamation, contempt, copyright, confidentiality, other parts of the PCC code. Time allowed is two hours.

Sub-editing: four on-screen subbing tests in which candidates sub a story and write a headline in a software package of choice. A piece of coursework - a page of real stories - examines design skills. Time allowed is two hours.

Shorthand (Teeline): a practical exam set at 80 words per minute consisting of two passages of two minutes each with an interval of 30 seconds; transcription time of 35 minutes is allowed.

Portfolio: a record of training, this contains evidence of knowledge and competence in feature writing; production and design; background to magazine industry and work experience. When complete, it includes six features or five features and a video."

WAH CAN DIE MAN. even to get hired as a journalist in a good company ive gotta do all this before i get a certificate from the national council for the training of journalists. arrrrrgh.