What Skills and Qualifications do I need to get into aviation journalism?
Common routes into journalism are to take an undergraduate degree in journalism, or to take an undergraduate degree in a different subject followed by a postgraduate journalism qualification. Either way, make sure that the course you choose is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) if you want to work for a UK-based news organisation.
At both levels, there are degrees available in different areas, e.g.: newspaper journalism, broadcast journalism and magazine journalism. Alternatively, it is sometimes possible to get in with a non-journalism degree and no journalism postgraduate qualifications, or with an apprenticeship or similar programme instead of a degree.
The job itself requires a strong outgoing, inquiring personality with an ability to integrate into a tight-knit team. The role will also require you to work independently and flexibly depending on workloads, which vary from day to day.
Aside from a disciplined, analytically-oriented mindset, you must also be able to work within established guidelines, within set timeframes, and under a supervising editor.
Given the nature of the aviation journalist’s work, a strong passion for and background knowledge of civil aviation is also a critical requirement.
What Can I expect to earn as an aviation Journalist?
When you’re starting out as a trainee reporter, your salary could be as low as £12,000 to £15,000, depending on whether you’re working for a local, regional or national paper.
Although there’s wide variation between regional and national newspapers, salaries for journalists with up to five years’ experience generally rise to around £25,000, while those with a decade’s experience or more can expect around £35,000 to £40,000. For more information check out: National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) on https://www.nctj.com/
