Next generation of journalists rub shoulders with young football stars

A nail-biting game which ended with a last-minute equaliser from the home side, bringing the result to one all at full time, ten undergrads from Solent's School of Creative Industries watched the match unfold from the press box. The budding journalists relished the unique opportunity to report on the game, with two invited to the tunnel post-match to interview players. One of those was Ed Groves, who says:

"It was an unbelievable experience. The adrenalin you get from doing interviews like this give you a real buzz, and it really is a joyful emotion that's hard to replicate. I really appreciate all the opportunities that I get given at Solent University."

This experience is all part of Solent University's bespoke practice-led approach to learning and teaching which emphasises opportunities in the field alongside traditional learning practices ensuring graduates are work-ready. For student Declan West, it gave him invaluable insight into how a sports journalist works:

"The match was a great experience. It reinforced the basics for me: where to go, who to speak to, how to set up everything I needed for the match. More experiences like this will grow my confidence in the press area environment!"

Thanks to a long-standing partnership between Southampton Football Club and Solent University, students regularly benefit from opportunities like these. Max Freeman, who soaked up his experience in the press box during this month's Real Madrid fixture, says:

"It's amazing to have opportunities that you'd expect to earn from years of experience and work in the industry, whilst still being a student at Solent! The chance to report on a team like Real Madrid in Southampton as part of a course opportunity is not only beneficial to my studies but to my development and introduction in the sports journalism world."

Not only does this experience give students the opportunity to see for themselves what sports journalism is like in practice but also boosts their portfolio as journalists - with local media publishing match reports penned by the undergrads. Graham Hiley, Solent's Senior Lecturer in Sports Journalism, says:

"With almost 11,000 fans in the stadium, this match gave our students a real sense of what it's like to report on a big game under pressure, and they all did a fantastic job. At Solent, our commitment to transcending classroom-based teaching means that our students graduate with the kind of experience employers are looking for, and we can't wait to see what our next cohort go on to do!"