JMU Journalism Masters graduate Niamh Green has won this year’s departmental shorthand award, being the first to pass the heralded NCTJ Gold Standard 100 words per minute exam.
Niamh, who has just started work as a multimedia journalist for the St Helens Star and Leigh Journal, finished her Masters degree with a first-class pass.
Her ambition is to become an international correspondent, using her skills in language and translation to bring news to the masses.
It is a remarkable feat. Encouraged by work placements in the Liverpool Echo and Sky News, Niamh says she uses shorthand every day and that having her NCTJ 100wpm speed means she will be able to accurately cover court cases in her new job.
Reflecting on her journey to reaching 100wpm, Niamh said: “I would practise shorthand whilst watching TV and write the words being said into my notebook. I enjoyed practising at higher speeds so that the 100wpm felt slower.”
Shorthand is a key journalistic skill which is a stated requirement in many job adverts, especially within traditional news media. NCTJ shorthand exams require a 97% accuracy to pass.
The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) says: “Shorthand is a fundamental skill for all journalists, and an accurate shorthand note is vital.”
Niamh accomplished this on her second attempt at the coveted 100wpm, showing her enthusiasm for the craft and her dedication to never giving up.
Niamh isn’t satisfied with stopping at 100wpm, however, and has booked on to the 110 and 120wpm exams next year.
Niamh, from Kerry in Ireland, came to study in Liverpool after her BA in applied languages from The University of Portsmouth.
She said: “Learning languages helped with shorthand, especially as I had learned Mandarin, so learning characters was less daunting when I saw Teeline shorthand.”
Shorthand specialist Christy Biggar said: “Niamh was a delight to teach. She has shown that attendance and perseverance are key to achieving your NCTJ shorthand qualifications.”
Students have the opportunity to take the shorthand NCTJ elective module in both BA and MA Journalism and Sports Journalism programmes at LJMU.
Previous winners of the shorthand award include Rhys Thomas (2023-24), who now works for BBC Jersey, and Daisy Ruddock (2022-23), who worked for the Index on Censorship following her MA, funded by the Tim Hetherington Fellowship.