Aycliffe Today have joined forces with a local college to offer budding journalists the chance to hone their media skills.
NCTJ Journalism diploma and Journalism Foundation Degree students at Darlington College will now be making regular contributions to Aycliffe Today.
The website, set up by former Darlington College student Martin Walker in January this year, covers all the latest news and views from Newton Aycliffe and is updated with daily news, sport, business and community information.
The site will give students from the area a chance to build their portfolios of published work and gain vital work experience.
Martin, pictured with some of the students, said: “This is a really exciting development for Aycliffe Today which will only enhance the quantity and quality of our content.
“As a previous Darlington College (of Technology) student myself, I know how valuable a portfolio of work is, so I really think this could be something that could work in their favour as well as helping me out.”
Sue Calvert, the college’s journalism tutor, added: “This is a great opportunity for students to showcase their multi-media skills, including video reporting, which trainees cover as part of their studies.”
The journalist courses continue to work with other industry specialists including sports journalist Niall Hickman from the Daily Express and current NCTJ students have weekly placements at publications including The Northern Echo, York Evening Press, Teesdale Mercury, Hartlepool Mail and French and Lamming media.