A North Wales newspaper company has teamed up with a local university in an innovative new training partnership.

NWN Media and Glyndwr University have launched the Certificate of Higher Education in Print Journalism which will see students will gain weekly newsroom experience alongside their regular classroom studies.

NWN Media owns Wrexham-based daily the Evening Leader as well as weekly titles in Shropshire, North and Mid Wales and Cheshire.

The course will feature online journalism elements alongside traditional subjects such as media law, shorthand and public admin.

The certificate, starting next month, takes one year and leads to students sitting exams recognised by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Janet Jones, journalism lecturer at Glyndwr University, said the partnership with NWN Media would offer the best of both worlds to journalism students.

"The time at Glyndwr University will cover lectures and practical workshops leading to the chance to achieve a full set of NCTJ qualifications," she said.

"But in addition, under the partnership agreement, students have the opportunity to put all this into practice in structured work placements at one of the NWN Media titles for two days each week.

"We believe it is the first time a university and newspaper group have worked so closely together to produce such an integrated package of training for young journalists leading to the NCTJ qualifications."

NWN Media editor-in-chief Barrie Jones added: "This exciting partnership between us as a news media company and an academic environment is the first of its kind and we're very proud to be involved with Wrexham's new university.

"This is the result of many months of planning and it is great news for North Wales to have such a prestigious course leading to the industry standard NCTJ journalistic qualification being available in the region."

This new course will also complement the new broadcasting and journalism degree programme starting at Glyndwr University in September.

The Wrexham-based institute – formerly the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education – gained university status by royal assent in July to become the tenth university in Wales.

There are five places on the course – to find out more and apply e-mail sid@glyndwr.ac.uk.

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