The newspaper takes pride in its commitment to training top-quality journalists The South China Morning Post, which recently celebrated its 100th birthday, stays committed to turning out high-quality reporters and writers. The newspaper's cadet training programme is the paper's investment in the journalists of the future, and the programme has been adjusted to meet the industry's new challenges. The internet, for example, has radically changed the way people acquire and use information. 'Instant news from radio and television was not the end of the printed word as many had predicted, but the global reach and the sheer vastness of the internet has presented a fresh challenge for traditional publishers,' editorial director Colin Kerr says. 'Newspapers have to provide an extra dimension to the information pouring onto the Web. More importantly, readers are relying on newspapers like the Post for credibility, accuracy, analysis and informed commentary. So we need to equip our staff with the tools and knowledge they need to deliver what the internet cannot. 'We can no longer be reactive, just reporting facts, figures and fire engines. We have to be more analytical, explaining why and what it means. The newspaper today is looking for a higher level of expertise from young journalists,' Mr Kerr says. Every year, the company recruits up to eight trainees for its Cadet Journalist programme. 'The programme is constructed to help journalists manage their careers better. We want to nurture their drive to become good writers, good journalists. We are determined to give them the opportunity to become great journalists.' The comprehensive nature of the programme allows the cadets to experience the industry as a profession. The cadetship starts on September 1 each year, and includes a 12-week orientation. The recruits work in a mock newsroom environment with intensive training in writing, news gathering, interviewing, media law and shorthand. The programme is orchestrated by cadet counsellor Hazel Parry, a highly-experienced British journalist, and is supported by lecturers from City University (London), Post specialists and guest speakers (including a lawyer specialising in defamation). The cadets are also introduced to the many other aspects of a newspaper, such as the advertising, marketing and circulation divisions, to gain a feel for the role that journalists play in bringing the daily news to a reader's doorstep. Cadets receive training in specific areas, from courts and politics to business and feature writing, and are shown how to source and write stories. They are also assigned tasks in the mainland and Macau to get a better understanding of the work and operations of the newspaper's many correspondents working outside Hong Kong. After the intensive introduction, the cadets are assigned to different sections of the paper and rotated among the departments, spending three months in each section. Workshops continue on a weekly basis to cover different reporting areas, ranging from the Legislative Council to the Coroner's Court, while they learn the basics of different types of reporting, from crime to medical reporting. A writing coach gives individual assistance to help the cadet reporters polish their writing skills. 'Most of our cadet reporters are local graduates,' Ms Parry says. The seven graduates we took in are not all academically trained journalists. We need our reporters to have an all-round knowledge.' The cadetship is a proving ground where young reporters acquire the skills they need in order to be deployed in the field. Cadets who complete the programme are considered ready to take on reporting assignments; they can generally choose to work in a section that suits their competencies and interests. Some of those recruited to the cadet programme may have spent previous summer holidays as interns at the Post, and the experience may have confirmed their their determination to pursue a career in journalism. Business reporter Raymond Ma, however, was not a summer intern. He joined after a two-week journalism course (sponsored by the Post) at the University of Hong Kong, while waiting for replies for other job interviews. In the two weeks, his interest in journalism grew and he was offered a cadetship. 'I majored in marketing at HKU,' he says. 'Without any previous training, I learnt all the basic skills - starting from nothing to getting a grasp of what journalists do.' Mr Ma says he enjoys his work. 'The most attractive part of being a journalist is that we meet all types of people. One moment we are meeting a leader, the next we might be talking to a beggar.' Ms Parry says: 'We need people with a reasonably good standard of English, a commitment to becoming a good journalist, and good communication skills. And a strong natural curiosity is a head start.'