Internship: Alistair McGibbon with the Youthcentral website.
ERIN PEARSON
BUDDING Newtown journalist Alistair McGibbon will publish work for more than 90,000 monthly readers thanks to a State Government initiative.
Mr McGibbon, 20, has won a six-month internship with Youthcentral to research and write content for its website.
Youthcentral employs young people as “roving reporters” to write on issues such as jobs, study, travel, money and music.
Mr McGibbon, a Deakin University student, was thrilled about his chance.
“It’s always good to have a foot in the door, especially in the journalism industry because it’s really hard to get into,” he said.
“Only 30 got selected for the internship out of 200 who applied, so that was a great feeling.”
Mr McGibbon started considering journalism as a career path in high school.
“It really kicked off in Year 11 courtesy of my media teacher at Belmont High,” he said.
“I was interested in movies and art but my teacher put a focus on journalism and I really began to enjoy it. Now I’m completing my degree in professional writing and hope to write for a website, a magazine or a local newspaper.”
Youth Affairs Minister Ryan Smith said Youthcentral’s roving reporter program encouraged applicants to write about personal experiences in their own communities.
“This is an opportunity for these young people to experience what it’s like to work as a professional journalist,” he said.
