Student work placement prize on offer at Scottish Parliament

A WEEK-long placement reporting the Scottish Parliament is the prize in a competition for final year and postgraduate journalism students at Scottish colleges and universities.

Being run by the Scottish Parliament and the Fife Free Press, the competition winner will be given their own ‘hot desk’, working alongside Scotland’s best-known political correspondents and broadcasters in the Parliament’s Media Tower, where they will file copy on parliamentary business for publication in the Fife Free Press.

News topics will range from First Minister’s Question Time, to the work of Holyrood’s committees, and any high profile events taking place in the Parliament that week.

To win the placement, students require to submit a 500-word essay on the topic,  ‘What do you see as the main achievements of the Scottish Parliament to date?’

The judging panel includes Allan Crow, editor at Fife Free Press; Katrine Bussey, political editor of the Scottish Press Association; Raymond Buchanan, BBC reporter; and Annette McCann, head of media affairs at the Scottish Parliament.

All entries should be clearly marked ‘Student Journalist Competition’ and sent to Media Relations Office, Q3.03, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP – by December 3. The winner will be announced in January.