Trainee journalists on the Press Association's foundation course in Newcastle have completed video training for the first time.

A 17th week has been added to the course to accommodate five days of intensive camera, video story telling and editing training.

It is the result of a 12-month long programme to transform the course from print to multimedia journalism.

Tony Johnston, head of PA Training, said: "This is an exciting development for the course and the trainees appear to be loving having the chance to develop the story telling skills they have acquired in this new medium.

"They have taken to the challenge incredibly well and have shot some stunning pictures considering it is the first time many of them have actually held a video camera."

The training is being provided by one of Press Association's video trainers Christina Fox and editing trainer Phil Muse.

For those completing the NCTJ pre-entry course in Newcastle, their work will be submitted for assessment as part of the new online journalism examination.

The additional week of training was offered as an option to those companies sponsoring people through the course but 26 of the 27 delegates took up the challenge.

John Sutton, a trainee who has now secured a job working for Gazette Media in Teesside, said: "This week has been great fun. It is very practical and we have learnt all about how to use the camera and edit our stories.

"I am really looking forward to doing video work when I start my job."

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