"Not have got the chance to experience all this at any other work placement"

LAST week the Ballymoney and Moyle Times office was joined by a young work experience pupil from Coleraine Inst.

For seven days Kyle Markey was provided with the opportunity to observe and experience first hand local journalism and photography.

He explained: “I really enjoyed my time here at The Times, this experience has been extremely beneficial and has helped show me what the world of journalism and photography is actually like. I’m just sad to be leaving.”

Work experience is carried out by most local secondary and grammar schools and many local business and organizations host students.

The aim is to provide pupils with knowledge of the world of work and prepare them for the future.

Kyle continued: “I got to experience what it is like to be a real journalist, I attended a recent District Policing Partnership meeting in Riada House and had the unique opportunity to meet the Chief Constable of the PSNI Matt Baggott which was amazing. Listening to the various discussions helped me to understand how the police work to improve the community.

“I also got the chance to visit court which was very interesting. It gave me a real insight into the legal system and helped improve my reporting skills. As well as this I got the opportunity to visit a Coroner’s Court and seeing how a skilled professional journalist would report on this sensitive genre.

“As this was not enough, I even got the chance to head out with the Times’s main photographer which added an extra aspect seeing how to set up a picture and take a caption. During my busy week I also wrote stories and saw how the staff make up the newspaper pages.

“My time at The Times has helped me understand just how much work is done by a dedicated team of people to get a newspaper ready to be put on the shelves. I would like to thank all the staff for making me feel welcome. I would not have got the chance to experience all this at any other work placement.

“However my favourite aspect of the week was the superb tea made by Chris Kilpatrick, he is a truly talented tea maker.”