Develop your journalism skills with free resources from the NCTJ

New to journalism, or just want to brush up on your knowledge of a particular topic? 

Here you will find our series of free journalism masterclasses, led by the NCTJ team and journalists in a variety of roles - you may even see some familiar faces! We also have a workshop on Google tools for journalists, and a range of tips and hints about working as a freelance, selling yourself at interview and many more.

If you're looking for something in particular and can't find it here, please let us know. And don't forget you can test your knowledge with our free quizzes section.

Want to learn more about essential journalism skills? Click here to search for NCTJ-accredited courses, or find out more about our distance learning offerings. The Journalism Skills Academy also runs regular skills training masterclasses on a range of journalistic topics.

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An introduction to journalism

NCTJ alumni Alex Crawford and Piers Morgan give their top tips for aspiring journalists
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Fundamentals for journalists

Nadin Raaba from the Google News Initiative shows us how to make use of some fundamental tools for journalists

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How to find your first job in journalism

Luke Jacobs, regional editor for Reach plc in the South East, offers his top tips for finding your first job in journalism.

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Turn your cover letter into an interview request

Five tips on how to stand out from the crowd from Neeru Sharma, lifestyle editor at Closer magazine
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Interview tips

How do you stand out and make an impression in interviews? Four editors gave us their top tips.

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Freelance - be your own boss

Lee Bell, freelance writer and editor, offers his tips for aspiring freelance journalists

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Freelance - pitching for work

An editor's view. David Marley, deputy editor of The Independent, offers some tips on pitching for freelance work

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Broadcast journalism

Learn about broadcast journalism with the BBC's Rianna Croxford
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Court reporting

Tristan Kirk teaches us about court reporting, and how the media plays a vital role in the justice system

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Fact checking

Full Fact's Joe O'Leary tells us what makes a great fact checker, and why it's so important

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Interview techniques

How to conduct an effective interview, with the NCTJ's Emma Robinson

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How to tell a news story

The NCTJ's Emma Robinson talks us through how to tell a news story
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Media ethics

The NCTJ's Will Gore talks us through the basics of media ethics

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Media law

Mark Hanna teaches the essentials of media law, which every journalist must know
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Newsgathering skills

The NCTJ's Emma Robinson guides you through the basics of newsgathering, a vital skill for journalists.
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Sports reporting

Sky Sports News' Dharmesh Sheth provides his advice for aspiring sports journalists

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