Sky News Apprentice in City of London

Responsibilities

• Undertake research before reporting to ensure that journalistic content/material published or broadcast is accurate, impartial, balanced, engages the audience and is verifiable with industry-standard use of English.
• Identify, select, and verify multiple sources of information, including people, reports, data and social media, cross-checking and corroborating when necessary.
• Take accurate, relevant notes when and where needed, using shorthand where required by the employer.
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of available platforms and determine where and when journalistic content is likely to work best.
• Produce journalistic content in line with legal and regulatory requirements, ethical issues and organisational specifications, alerting senior managers when necessary.
• Make decisions and judgments at speed and under pressure while stories are researched and presented, aiming to lead when breaking news.
• Find and use contacts to create journalistic content and exclusive stories that meet the needs of the target audience, verifying information from contacts and critically reviewing short- and long-term implications.
• Use audience analytics to evaluate the success of content and inform future decision-making.
• Monitor relevant social media systematically, proactively seeking, verifying and curating user-generated content that improves targeted content, grows the audience and deepens engagement.
• Produce content that resonates with the audience using tools that measure audience sentiment and social media interaction.
• Produce journalism in multimedia combinations as required, drawing in viewers/listeners/users to tell the complete story.
• Report live to the audience from the scene of an event using remote technologies.
• Publish journalistic content using all available tools to enhance the user experience.
• Conduct various types of interviews, selecting the right technique to suit the interviewee and building a connection with the subject.
• Evaluate interview answers to inform further questioning, probing for detail and inconsistencies, and identify additional contacts if needed.
• Check and evaluate own work against industry standards, adhering to employer guidelines and maintaining the organisation’s reputation.
• Seek constructive feedback from relevant people and take action accordingly.
• Consider the impact of equality and diversity practices on individuals and groups, ensuring inclusive practices.
• Locate, clean, and interrogate datasets to inform content generation.

Training Programme

Spend your first five months at college working towards your Level 5 Journalist Apprenticeship, learning the essentials: writing, media law, ethics and story structure. Course modules include Essential Journalism, E-portfolio, Essential Media Law, Broadcast Regulation, Shorthand, Court Reporting, Public Affairs and Journalism for a Digital Audience.

Qualifications & Experience

• GCSE qualifications: five GCSEs including English and Mathematics (grade A–C).
• Relevant qualifications and industry experience – share if you have any.
• Passion for current affairs.
• Curiosity about the world.
• Confidence in sharing ideas and opinions.
• Ability to spot trends.
• Strong communication skills.
• Readiness to learn.
• Willingness to travel.
• Capacity to work in a fast-paced environment.

Legal & Eligibility

• For legal reasons you must be 18 or older by September 2026.
• You must not have completed a qualification or degree in journalism before the apprenticeship.
• You should finish any current education by September 2026 and not plan to undertake further study during the programme.
• You must have lived in the UK or Republic of Ireland for at least three years by September 2026.
• If on a time-limited visa, it must not expire during the apprenticeship.

Work Conditions & Compensation

• Salary: £27,010 per year.
• Hours: 38 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Occasional weekends may be required.
• Start date: Monday 7 September 2026.
• Duration: 2 years.
• Locations: Sky News newsroom, Osterley, West London.
• Training provider: PA Media Academy, sister company to PA Media.
• Benefits: Free Sky Q, generous pension, 25 days paid annual leave, discounted mobile and broadband, private health care.
• Number of positions available: 2.