For a third successive year, The University Times today launched its work experience programme with the Trinity Access Programme (TAP), with over 20 students set to spend a week with the paper learning about journalism.
The programme, which will run throughout the week, sees transition year students from over 20 TAP-linked schools participating in events on and off Trinity’s campus in order to learn about the importance of journalism.
Participants today received a talk from Peter McGuire – a freelance journalist who’s worked extensively with the Irish Times and TheJournal.ie – that focused on breaking into the profession.
Over the course of the week, students will report on a student protest, and receive a tour of the Irish Times headquarters on Tara St.
They’ll also hear talks from several other speakers, including sports journalist Sinead Farrell, freelance journalist Jade Wilson and Lois Kapila – the co-founder and managing editor of the Dublin Inquirer.
Last year, students participated in a mock press conference with Social Democrat TD Gary Gannon, who’s a TAP graduate. This year, as students will attend the TAP Symposium to pose questions to a panel of experts.
Participants will also investigate and write their own news pieces on a topic of their own choosing, which will be subsequently published on The University Times website.
Speaking to The University Times, the paper’s current editor, Donal MacNamee, said the programme is “an unbelievably rewarding experience – for us in the paper and, hopefully, for the students as well”.
“We’re delighted to work alongside the Trinity Access Programme – which does incredible work – to give the students an insight into both journalism and the College”, he added.
Daniel McFarlane, the co-ordinator of the week and schools outreach project officer with Trinity Access, said that “Trinity Access are absolutely delighted to be working with The University Times again”.
“We’re very lucky to have such a dedicated team who are passionate about access”, he said, adding that the week will “introduce the students to the variety of on-campus communities and the variety within Irish journalism”.
