Wintec joins Journalism Intern Scheme

Media Release

Date July 25, 2006

Waikato Institute of Technology joins Fairfax Media Journalism Intern Scheme

Fairfax Media is pleased to announce that the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) will be a partner in its journalism intern scheme as one of four participating training institutes.

Wintec’s involvement has been welcomed by Fairfax’s Editor-in-Chief, Peter O’Hara, who said the Waikato institute’s involvement would add strength to the scheme in the upper North Island.

“Fairfax has a very strong relationship with Wintec and its staff through the Waikato Times. Through Wintec and the other training establishments, we will be able to offer our interns fine journalism training from which they will be well placed for their journalism careers in their designated newspapers,” says Mr O’Hara.

The other three training institutes are the University of Canterbury, Aoraki Polytechnic in Timaru and Massey University in Wellington.

Wintec CEO Mark Flowers said the institute had made changes to its journalism programme over the past two years.

“In 2004 we appointed former Waikato Times editor Venetia Sherson as Editor-in-Residence to introduce a range of initiatives that would give our journalism graduates an edge.’’

He said Wintec students regularly worked in the Waikato Times newsroom, produced a regular column for the paper and filled in for staff on leave at Fairfax’s numerous community papers in the region.

Applications for Fairfax Media internships are now open. About 20 internships at Fairfax publications are available across the country, and intern applicants nominate the paper they would like to work for.

Applications close on August 18, 2006, via the Fairfax Media website. Applicants have to supply written and other material. Selected applicants will then sit general knowledge and writing tests, and later interviews will be carried out.

Successful applicants have their journalism course fees reimbursed on passing the year-long journalism course. During training, they are offered holiday work. On the successful completion of the course, they work at their chosen publication and are bonded for a period of two years.

Fairfax is New Zealand’s largest media company and publishes nine daily, two Sunday and more than 50 community newspapers. As well, it owns the Stuff website and the Independent Financial Review.

For further details, go to www.fairfaxnz.co.nz/careers

ENDS

© Scoop Media