Last week, seven of our A Level Politics students got the opportunity to go to the University of Wolverhampton to take part in a political journalism workshop.
The workshop was led by ex-Shrewsbury Colleges Group student Gareth Owen, who after a 20-year career as a Correspondent and Presenter with ITV News, moved industry to become a Journalism course leader at the university.
Explaining his decision to change career path, Gareth Owen said: “I made the switch from broadcasting to education as I am passionate about making this fabulous career more accessible to people from the Midlands, as well as those from a diverse range of backgrounds.
“Too many young people I speak to in our region tell me that journalism is not an option for people like me.”
Using the brand-new newsroom and TV and radio studios in the Wolverhampton Screen School, students took part in a mock press conference and then produced a radio and tv report, taking on various roles as a presenter, MP, and political correspondent.
One of the students who got to participate, Arthur Powell, said: “It was great to work with experienced professionals and get a good insight into how our media operates. It’s so much fun to actively participate in authentic radio and tv mock productions.”