i Editor's Letter: Meet our apprentices

Exciting arrivals at Derry Street, i’s HQ, this week: three apprentices. Jochan Embley, 18, Mollie Goodfellow, 20, and Joe Krishnan, 21, are aspiring young journalists without university degrees.

The pioneering new scheme launched by i and our sister titles The Independent and the Evening Standard gives non-grads aged 19 to 24 the chance to break into the profession. Backed by the Government, the scheme is run in conjunction with the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

For the next two years, our trio will earn while they learn their trade among seasoned hacks: four days a week on the editorial floor and the fifth day at journalism school, where they will master reporting, media law, ethics, public affairs and shorthand.

They ran a gauntlet of interviewers and showed flair and originality to beat their rivals.

Jochan hadn’t finished his A-levels when he caught our attention with a terrific cover letter, charting the “cosmic demise” of his local football club. He’s joined the Digital team. Mollie made a mark with her blog zeroing in on feminism and fashion. She starts life here on Features. Joe has been balancing freelance writing about football with work for RBS, TK Maxx and modernising King’s Cross. He’s straight off to Sport.

We all know the difficulties people are experiencing in finding jobs after they leave school, college and uni – and the pride some of our grizzled old newsroom reptiles have shown in developing this scheme is already evident.

Good luck to Jochan, Mollie and Joe. No doubt you’ll hear from them in due course.

i@independent.co.uk

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