its funny how most local papers require formal photography training to take you on as a news photographer, whereas regional news agencies don't care; as long as you can deliver they will hire you. At 2k a year this course seems like a good money spinner for PA or Grimbsy uni, or whoever the money is going to, whereas the budding photographer would probably be better off doing the NCTJ course in photojournalism, costing just over 1k and lasting only one year, and they would be guaranteed a job afterwards on a local paper