Innovative sports journalism collaboration will help students get their first step into the industry
An innovative partnership between a Lancashire University and a growing sports website has been launched to help journalism students get their first step into the industry.
The link with Prost International and the University of Central Lancashire, in Preston, will give the students an opportunity to improve their writing and editing skills, putting into practise what they learn on their degree course.
They’ll then have their work published and promoted by the site which is based in England.
Steve Clare, who originally founded Prost Amerika in 2006 in Seattle with International following 12 years later, said: “Currently there are few bridges between university journalism courses and the real world, between the academic and the practical.
“We are delighted to embark on this partnership with UCLan and its students. The pilot project has gone superbly with some excellent contributions and pieces by the UCLan group already having been published.
“Prost is looking forward to providing a friendly but challenging environment for further UCLan students in the months to come.”
UCLan has been teaching journalism for more than 50 years and its BA (Hons) Sports Journalism course was rated in survey by students as the best in England, with 100 per cent overall satisfaction.
Course leader Steve Canavan said links with industry across all platforms as well as with local football and other clubs is central to the course.
He said: “Making sure students are fully equipped to work as sports journalists when they graduate is central to our course, so the links with industry are really important and we aim to improve them all the time.
“The care and thought Prost have shown towards our students since the pilot started has been incredible.
“It’s so good to see the students properly integrated into a company, not just be left to sink or swim but to have some proper support and mentorship.”
Steve said that Prost editors had already reported back on the excellent attitude of the first tranche of students who’d been signed up.
He said: “There are lots of talented writers out there but having the right attitude can help you stand out from the crowd – so it’s really good that they’re working on their practical skills as well as getting the chance to shine.”
The collaboration will not be limited to the written word. A new a podcast called The Lancashire Football Show will be produced and presented by a team of students from the sports journalism course and be integrated with the site’s written content.
