Turning a love of writing into a role at one of the UK's biggest newsrooms

Daniel Tison came to Solent from the Czech Republic, choosing a course that let him merge his love of writing with a career path he believed he could build a future on. Just over two years after graduating, he is an SEO editor at The Sun and the founder of The London Optimist, a publication dedicated to positive news from the city he now calls home, London.

"I liked the course and I learned a lot, both theory and practice," Daniel says. The practical grounding in writing, reporting and media law helped him move quickly through the industry, from a first newsroom role to a national title.

"I felt so amazed and so lucky and so grateful," he says of joining The Sun. In his current role, Daniel helps drive search traffic to the website through keyword and trend analysis, ensuring editorial decisions are backed by data and identifying what readers are searching for to write explainers and shape story ideas for the wider editorial team.

Before joining The Sun, Daniel also built something of his own. In January 2025 he launched The London Optimist, a digital publication created to counter the negativity he saw dominating the news agenda.

"I thought it would be good to start something where I could provide a little bit of positivity," he explains.

Working evenings around his full-time job at Securities Finance Times, he built a team of five volunteer reporters, grew a steady weekly readership, partnered with local councils and charities, and launched a companion podcast spotlighting community champions across the capital.

Running the site also gave him his first taste of managing and editing other writers. The project came to an end after five months, when Daniel joined The Sun.

"I really enjoyed it, and I'm hoping that one day I'll get back to it," he says.

Daniel's journey from international student to national newsroom is what Solent's Career Ready Revolution is designed to deliver, giving graduates the real-world experience, industry connections and confidence to succeed from day one.