Post-COVID work experience the key for Glasgow Caledonian Student

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Jay has worked on UEFA Youth League matches and games involving Scotland's under-20s team

A third year Multimedia Journalism student has ensured no opportunity passes him by in achieving his dream of working in football.

Like thousands of other students across the country, Jay Blakeway’s first two years at University were hampered by the global pandemic. After countless online lectures from the comfort of home, Jay has been making up for lost time since September with a variety of placements.

He’s hoping his tactical approach in securing work experience with the likes of Youth Football Scotland and The Herald will help him land a job when he graduates next year.

We sat down with Jay to find out more about his journey:

First of all, tell us a bit about your interest in football?

“I’ve always been a big football fan – I wouldn’t quite say it’s my life but it certainly means a lot to me. I’m a Rangers season ticket holder and a big Scotland fan.

“Growing up, I was always listening to Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, reading newspapers and watching Sky Sports. I didn’t actually know what I wanted to do for a long time in terms of a career, but I loved the thought of being that person that was sent to report on football matches and conduct interviews. As soon as I saw that was a possibility with a course like this, I knew I had to go for it.”

What was it about Glasgow Caledonian University that appealed to you?

“Whenever I searched for a sports journalism course, it was always Glasgow Caledonian that came up. The BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism course has a partnership with the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), and also Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) accreditation.

“The amount of excellent Alumni who have went on to work within the Scottish media was also very impressive. There’s plenty of guys at the sports desk at The Herald and The Times, there’s people like Amy Irons at the BBC and quite a few who have ended up at STV as well.”

How much of an impact did COVID have on your overall student experience?

“It was definitely difficult starting in September 2020. The course is actually very small, but that helped because we all became very close and I’ve made great friends through it. The work wasn’t what it would have been if we hadn’t been in a pandemic, but we managed thanks to our lecturers.

“Looking back on it now, the teaching still built up the same skills we needed for going out into work experience and then eventually into employment.

“Everyone has really enjoyed it this year and the different challenges we’ve faced. It’s definitely a welcomed change after everything being online for the first two years of our degree.”

What was your thought process when the pandemic was coming to an end and restrictions were eased?

“I was definitely keen to get out there. I knew when I was starting third year last year that I really needed work experience. I had tried in the summer but it can be difficult, especially with football.

“I managed to sign up with Youth Football Scotland (YFS) in September, who I’d always recognised as a good starting point for budding sports journalists.”

Tell us a bit about Youth Football Scotland and your experience with them?

“YFS is obviously grassroots level, although I’ve actually been very blessed because the company as a whole has grown in recent years and now cover the likes of Rangers and Celtic youth teams.

“I’ve been to two matches as a reporter covering Celtic vs RB Leipzig in the UEFA Youth League at Airdrie’s stadium, and a Scotland under-20s match at Fir Park. They both involved me writing match reports, updating the YFS Twitter page and a pre-match, half-time and full-time piece to camera.

“It’s been a really good experience for me. You do get a lot of support, but you’re also given that freedom to make mistakes. Reporting, overall, is simple once you have a grasp of it, but it’s a bit of an art, and this sort of platform is so important for me.”

What area of journalism do you see yourself working in?

“The good thing about the course is that it’s obviously Multimedia Journalism, so I’m not restricted. Sport is definitely my specialism and I definitely want to work within football in some sort of capacity; whether that’s for a club, newspaper or broadcaster. That’s the dream.”

As a journalism student, how important is it for you to get work experience?

“It’s massively important, not just for you developing as a person or journalist, but you actually need it for the degree. It’s a requirement that we complete 20 hours of work experience throughout our degree, preferably spent across different employers and fields.

“As well as my work with YFS, I’ve been writing articles for the Glasgow Times and The Herald. I also help with a blog that focuses on Rangers, which has involved me going to games and interviewing the manager.

“I’m looking to get a bit more experience in broadcast over the next few months, because I don’t want to just pen myself into sport and completely close off other options.”

What would your message be to other students just starting out at Glasgow Caledonian University?

“First of all, I’m very jealous that you’re getting to start now! I’d encourage them to just grab any experience they can get outside of University that’s relevant to their studies – just go for it!

“It’s not just about being good at assignments and getting top marks, especially with a course like the one I’m on. Getting work experience builds you as a professional, but it also improves you as an individual overall because you get to interact with different people in different environments.”

Find out more about the BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism course

By Ross Clark
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter