Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
All our new parliamentary reporters complete a postgraduate diploma in parliamentary reporting, which is taught and assessed during a 26-week training period. Recent graduate Miles (and a cast of Hansard colleagues) answer all the questions.
So what is a postgraduate diploma in parliamentary reporting?
Since Hansard reporting is a specialised job, we need to train our reporters up to a certain standard. You still get paid, but you begin the job with training. New recruits train for three months in our dedicated training suite followed by another three on the job. The tutors are a team of three experienced Hansard colleagues who teach you to work as a team and report debates according to Hansard’s editing style. They also explain the rules governing debates in the chambers and committees and help to put the job you’ll be doing into context. As Hannah, a course graduate, said: “I’ve learned about loads of things I didn’t anticipate covering, from the Welsh language to how broadcasting works at Parliament Live.”
The course gained academic accreditation from City St George’s, University of London in 2012. It took Hansard staff a lot of hard work to get to that point. The aim was to give the existing high standard of training formal status to show that Hansard employees have specialist skills.
Thanks for clearing that up. Could a few people who have recently done the course tell me a bit more about it?
Certainly. Recent and current trainees have said the following:
I have received great support from the tutors, sub-editors and other reporters. Everyone at Hansard has a different speciality, from dialect to grammar and knowledge of parliamentary procedure. As a result, the course is wide-ranging, covering a number of different topics, and help is available for any query, no matter how niche.
(Josie, current trainee)
The teaching on the course is superb. The attention and help I received in a small group setting, and often one on one, was better than university.
(Ciarán, course graduate in 2023)
Having come from an entirely different industry, Hansard was a refreshing new start. I had never even been to Parliament before, but I found it to be such a welcoming environment. The work was often challenging, but everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable that it made starting a new career a pleasure.
(Miles - that’s me, course graduate in 2024)
The best part of joining Hansard has been the collective spirit. From the classroom to now reporting full time, the job is all about working together to find the right solution.
(Joe, current trainee)
The course not only prepared me for parliamentary reporting but improved my writing in general. I had been doing similar jobs for almost 10 years but had never received proper training. It was great to join an organisation that takes its task seriously, and so provides an in-depth course to ensure your work is up to its high standards.
(Jon, current trainee)
Graduating in Speaker’s House was truly special. My family got to come to Parliament and see me graduate as a parliamentary reporter with a full ceremony.
(Seán, course graduate in 2024)
Those reporters make a good case. Who would be teaching me?
Every course is taught in-house by experienced colleagues, so you start your career with an incredibly close focus on your developing skills. You’ll get feedback one-to-one and in groups, and you’ll benefit from a host of experiences that prepare you to get the most out of the role.
The training team is made up of two Committee Sub-Editors and a Parliamentary Reporter (these roles might be job-shared in practice, if the trainers have flexible working arrangements). At least one of the CSEs will have taught on previous courses and this CSE will be your line manager.
Let’s hear from some of the former tutors:
It’s fun to share and pass on your enthusiasm for Parliament. There is always a point when you take the students to see some relatively mundane Westminster Hall debate, and you notice that their eyes are shining with excitement at being in the Palace, and it reminds you what a special place Parliament is. I felt that being a tutor allows you to unleash your creativity in coming up with fun exercises. I also loved having the time to discuss arcana such as the judicious use of colons. Tutors also have quite a lot of autonomy in designing the course in a way that puts the focus on what they think is most important about turncraft. The course is a great way to get to know your new colleagues, and long after they graduate – in fact, forever – your students will have a special place in your heart.
(Joanna)
Being a tutor on the training course is good for the soul. It brings privilege and pressure in equally large measure. You get to help the latest intake of Hansard reporters develop right from the recruitment process through to having their work published on a daily basis, and you’re always willing them to do well. At the same time, you’re responsible for guiding them through the postgraduate diploma and for maintaining Hansard’s reputation for quality, accuracy and impartiality into the future. I’ve been a tutor on three training courses, and each time it has sharpened my own reporting and editorial skills—it makes you examine not only how you do those things that become second nature in a job, but why you do them. Training also allows you to channel qualities like creativity, humour and kindness that don’t always have an outlet in our day-to-day editorial work.
(Tom)
They certainly sound like experts. Before I apply, I still have a few more questions.
Ask away.
Do I need to be an expert in politics?
Not at all, but a keen interest in current affairs and willingness to learn about the workings of Parliament will be valuable.
What are you looking for?
You. We want people with the right skills—it's not necessarily about education. Our reporters come from a wide range of backgrounds, including translation, transcription, communications, writing and editing, teaching, lecturing, research, the law, charities, retail, music and the theatre.
Am I applying for a qualification or a job?
Both! Ultimately, you’re being employed as a parliamentary reporter, but by gaining the qualification you’re demonstrating your skills in a highly specialised role and that’s always a bonus. You’ll even get a fancy graduation ceremony.
Okay—I’m sold. How do I apply?
Our most recent application process closed on 23 March 2025, but keep your eyes out on this blog for future recruitment information!
