NCTJ/PTC What do the editors think?

What course should you take?

Which accrediting body is the best: the newspaper-focused National Council for the Training of Journalists, NCTJ, the magazine-focused Periodical Training Council, PTC, or the Broadcast Journalism Training Council,  BJTC?
What length and level of journalism course: undergrad, postgrad, fast track? Which should it be?
In magazines, says Jess McAree, group editorial training manager for haymarket, they favour the PTC, but  “I personally when I’ve recruited people have never really looked at their qualifications… I’ve always wanted people who were mustard keen.”

What course should you do?

If you want to begin your career on local newspapers, what qualifications do you need? The obvious answer is an NCTJ pre-entry course, but industry experts such as Gary Wright, group editor of KoS Media, say that this lacks certain vital areas of expertise.
So if you take the NCTJ's preliminary qualifications as part of a university course - whether its at undergraduate or postgraduate level - make sure you also get a solid grounding in the web, video and audio, in addition to what the NCTJ requires you to know to pass its exams.

Video: how to get a job on a local paper

Gary Wright is group editor of Kos Media, which runs a chain of local papers and allied multimedia websites in Kent.
They are free, hyperlocal, incorporate multimedia and citizen journalism.
The video covers Gary’s advice on how to get a job on a local paper. His main points are summarised below it

Get a feel for storytelling
Read as widely as you can, see how it’s done.
“Get a feel for the way people write and the way they present their stories.”
Get qualified
"It’s a tough world, the more qualifications you have the better armed you are to get a job."
“Any employer is going to look for as many of the skills you are going to need right from the outset.”
What kind of course? Three year, postgrad, fast-track?
It depends on you, although three years might be too long
But the best practice you get will be doing the job.
“The main thing is to get those basic skills and understand what you need.”
NCTJ pre-entry course is the most common qualification he sees.
"It’s behind in some areas such as sound and an understanding of video on the web.” 
The skills you need
Storytelling in text, stills, video and audio.
“Any newspaper will expect you to be able to take pictures, to shoot video and to tell your story in a variety of media.”
What local papers offer the trainee journalist: Find the full Masterclass here:  http://www.multimedia-journalism.co.uk/node/569