Nominations and awards for journalism students

Five recent graduates from Cardiff University’s News Journalism MA course have been shortlisted for some of the UK’s biggest regional journalism awards.

Will Hayward has been nominated in five categories at this year’s Regional Press Awards which is organised by the Society of Editors to celebrate the best of British journalism.

Will, who is WalesOnline’s Social Affairs Correspondent, will complete for the Feature Writer, Columnist, Social Media Journalist and Data Journalist awards at this month’s ceremony.

Joining Will in the Reporting Communities category will be fellow News Journalism MA graduate Liz Perkins (South Wales Evening Post).

The School will also be represented in the Young Journalist of the Year category by Conor Gogarty (Gloucestershire Live) and Aamir Mohammed (WalesOnline).

Completing an excellent year of representation will be Sam Ferguson (SW Argus) who will hope to scoop the Campaign of the Year – Daily Paper award.

All the nominees completed the one-year course which is accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and equips trainee journalists with all the skills they need to work in the industry. Graduates are working in regional, national and international news organisations and the course has a near 100% employability rate in recent years.

News Journalism Director Mike Hill said, “These awards celebrate the incredibly valuable work carried out by local journalists both online and in print. Our graduates’ digital skillset and commitment to quality journalism is clearly represented in these nominations.

"We’re proud of them all and I'd like to congratulate them and wish them well on the night."

The awards will take place on Friday 17 May 2019, Savoy Place, London.

International recognition

Journalist Syed Muhammad Abubaker, currently studying International Journalism in the School, is already celebrating having been recognised for his outstanding environmental reporting at the Asian Environmental Journalism Award (AEJA).

The awards honour individuals and organisations that report news stories on sustainability issues facing both the planet and Asia specifically.