Internships provide students a unique opportunity to gain exposure to fields that interest them while they acquire real work experience that will benefit them once they enter the workplace. While internships can be difficult to find in normal times, the COVID-19 crisis has made that task even more challenging. But Berlin-based news agency, Ruptly, has found a way to solve that problem for aspiring young journalists with the free Ruptly Academy.
“Journalism has always been a competitive field, but over the past year, with COVID-19 rocking the industry, the job market became even more challenging,” Laura Lucchini, Ruptly’s Head of News tells Parentology. “Internships and work experience are absolutely crucial to young reporters starting out on their career but this was obviously impossible because of remote working and travel restrictions. So, we wanted to find a way to do this online and came up with the idea of a series of masterclasses hosted by senior members of our team, after which participants could put what they’d learned to use and get personal feedback and ask questions via a programme of webinars. Basically, a remote internship.”
How It Works
Candidates are invited to submit a short video explaining what makes them the ideal candidate, along with a CV and cover letter. Applications will run from today until May 31, 2021, and will be considered in order of receipt due to last year’s large volume of candidates. (The Ruptly Academy website link is at the bottom of this article.)
Once accepted, the program starts on July 1 and spans ten weeks. Each week focuses on a different aspect of working for a news agency. Topics include everything from fact-checking, video editing, and how to make money in journalism.
A typical week starts with students watching a brief tutorial before being given an assignment, which they have 3-4 days to complete. After turning in their assignment, they join a webinar where they can go over what they’ve learned and speak to professionals in their respective fields to get real-time feedback and advice.
“What we didn’t want to do was simply repeat what they’d already learned, but offer more practical, real-life advice such as what it’s really like working in a war zone, or how to validate and verify stories quickly, and how to pitch them to industry professionals,” Lucchini says.
Big Experience, Big Benefits
Once they complete the course, students receive a certificate and possibly a job opportunity. In its 2020 inaugural year, the program identified talented students and Ruptly is helping them transition from internship to the workforce. Lucchini is hopeful that this year’s class of interns will reveal more talent.
“It was a tremendous success and the feedback was incredibly positive – we identified a number of really bright talents and are currently working with them to help them secure their future in journalism. And we’re very much looking forward to doing the same again this year.”
Ruptly has figured out a way to offer practical work experience to hopeful journalists around the globe. This revolutionary form of internship will afford many students an opportunity that they would have otherwise been precluded from based on circumstances or even geography. Lucchini believes that the Academy offers aspiring journalists a real advantage.
“Having forged my way through the industry myself, I can’t think of a better way for any student looking for a head start in the profession than to spend their free time taking part in the Academy this summer.”
To learn more and submit your application, visit the Ruptly Academy website.
Ruptly Academy — Sources
Laura Lucchini, Head of News, Ruptly