Speaking after the event, hosted by Sky News, Jamie said that it was a privilege to win the award for exposing council corruption and financial wrongdoing. He added:
“The NCTJ is prestigious within the journalism industry and always one of the first qualifications potential employers look for, so it is an amazing feeling to have been recognised for my work. I vehemently believe journalism has never been more important than in the current climate, and continues to be a super industry to work in.”
Jamie also praised the degree course team during his studies at Brighton:
“I worked particularly hard during my time at the University of Brighton to attain 100wpm shorthand and a gold standard diploma alongside my degree, but I must also give thanks to the lecturers who helped me along every step of the way.”
Owen Evans, Course Leader for the Sport Journalism BA(Hons), said:
“It’s fantastic to see the industry recognise the talent we’ve known about since Jamie joined our sport journalism degree in 2016. We’re particularly proud that he was rewarded for holding public bodies to account in his campaign against council corruption.”
Commenting on the Innovation of the Year accolade, Owen said:
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve the student experience on our Sport Journalism programme, so it’s satisfying to see the industry recognise this through the virtual exchange with University of Florida.
“After winning the 2018 Innovation of the Year award for our Premier League Apprenticeship with Brighton & Hove Albion FC, the challenge now is to build on that momentum and continually devise new ways to improve future delivery.”