If you would’ve told me 5 years ago that in 2025 I’d be a qualified journalist, I’d have eaten my hat. Fast-forward to today: it’s completely true, and I couldn’t be happier!
My journey to finding the journalism course felt like the stars aligned. My sister, who stumbled across Ability Today online, immediately sent it my way as she knew I’d been looking for a way to pivot into journalism. The more I read about the course, the more excited I became. It ticked all the boxes: flexible, comprehensive, and most impressively, affordable (rare words to say in the same sentence as “education” these days!)
When I was invited to interview with Grant and Sarah, I was nervous but from the moment we started talking, they were so friendly and down to earth, that I felt at ease. Shortly after our video call, I found out I’d been accepted onto the course and I was over the moon!
The journalism course has allowed me to train at my own pace, providing me with all the necessary tools to independently study. I loved the mix of practical and theory within the units, because it gave me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and enhance my skills.
My personal journey on the course has been one of real challenge and growth for many reasons. That being said, my background is in television and radio, so I saw this qualification as a way to retrain in a field I have always been passionately intrigued about.
During the course, I had a video go viral on TikTok, garnering 1.5 million views, and I also reached 10k followers on the platform that same week. I was able to use this in my coursework, which received positive feedback.
I found the “How Society Works” and “How To Tell A News Story” units the most difficult. It took three attempts for me to pass “How To Tell A News Story,” and if I’m honest, I felt frustrated because I kept getting feedback that I was overwriting and that less is more, which was difficult to hear at the time but ultimately, I know has made me a better writer.
Highlights on the course include (but are not limited to): learning so much about the world of journalism (its history, purpose etc) and opening my eyes to the fact that it’s all around us. I really enjoyed the masterclasses, which offer industry insight, and lastly, the visit to ITV News was incredible!
Now that I have completed the course, I would like to pursue a career in music journalism and documentary filmmaking by continuing my music blog, ‘favourite finds’ and growing it into a household name akin to ‘SBTV’, but for indie artists.
The blog will have an online TV show (on YouTube) running alongside it, where I will interview upcoming and emerging artists. I would also love to cover live gigs, writing for publications such as LOUD WOMEN and reviewing new music from unsigned artists via the platform Musosoup.
Here’s a link to my blog, favourite finds: https://www.favouritefindsuk.com/
Did you know I’m also a music artist? I make relatable indie pop songs, so feel free to check them out on Spotify if you like! https://open.spotify.com/artist/7qpuK6miZb6lLL1DXGoFcA?si=U3pJwEcSQ4-LMGfLTCerng or YouTube ‘Lydia Maddix music’.
Thank you to Ability Today and the NCTJ for everything. I’m forever grateful!
by Lydia Maddix – ADJ CFJ Alumni