Celebrating 20 years of Mail training

It is 20 years since the Daily Mail graduate training scheme began. Early in 2003 Pat Pilton, who I had worked with at the Daily Mirror where he was managing editor, asked if I thought it was possible to take trainees straight from university and turn them into national newspaper sub-editors. Pat was working for the Press Association and had been asked by Associated Newspapers to look at setting up a subbing scheme. I, of course, said I would give it a go.

We ran the first course at PA’s Bishop’s Manor offices in Howden in Yorkshire. Pat and I were joined by PA’s chief sub Mike Watson and we spent four weeks with six bright-eyed youngsters, teaching them Mail style and the craft of sub-editing. 

At the time many senior journalists were sceptical that it could work but we delivered some first-class subs, who have gone on to be big players. In 2008 it was decided to roll out the scheme for reporters and Sue Ryan was brought in to recruit and manage it.

The scheme then came in-house and was run at Northcliffe House in London instead of at the PA offices. The MailOnline scheme began in London in 2013 and was launched in New York and Sydney two years later. 

In 2016 a scholarship was started to provide opportunities for talented students from diverse backgrounds. There have been 13 journalists who have passed through the programme.

The Mail's scheme is the largest run by any national newspaper. The training has been delivered by me for 20 years and, along the way, I have been supported by other trainers including Mike Brough, Fiona Webster, Amy Iggulden, Lara King, Jennifer Ryan, Phil Swift, Andy Drinkwater, Robin Thompson, David Williams and Adam Tinworth.

Nick Enoch delivers the Content Creator system training for the onliners and many of the Mail’s senior journalists and lawyers contribute sessions.   

There have been more than 500 trainees who have graduated from the scheme since it started – 283 for the London papers, 143 for MailOnline in London, 44 for DailyMail.com in New York and 29 for Daily Mail Australia in Sydney. 

Some of those we have trained have inevitably moved on and are editors, broadcasters and well-known writers on other publications. But many of those who started on the scheme are now in senior positions at Associated Newspapers including the editorial director of MailOnline, the group digital editor, the head of production, the Femail magazine editor, the digital head of sport and the assistant editor (politics) in New York. Training manager Sue Ryan, who looks after the recruitment and oversees the programme, says: 'The scheme has an outstanding reputation, attracting huge numbers of highly talented students every year. I love seeing their enthusiasm.' 

I have to say I have enjoyed every minute, met some amazing people, watched brilliant careers grow and been supported all the way by the Mail’s management, editors, journalists, admin staff and IT team. A big thanks to them all … there are too many to mention but they know who they are.