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BLACK EXCELLENCE: Izin Akhabau

BBC NEWS apprentice Izin Akhabau made history at the corporation by becoming the youngest person ever to report on the flagship bulletin, BBC News at 10, on Thursday 26 October 2017.

She was part of the digital journalism apprentice scheme which started in 2015 and offers prospective applicants the opportunity to become a digital journalist at BBC News with a diploma accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists at the end.

Akhabau, who has now finished her 18 month apprenticeship and is currently studying at Warwick University, was selected from a possible 3000 applicants to be part of the first intake of ten digital journalism apprentices at BBC News. She worked across a number of departments, including BBC Politics, Newsnight and BBC News Online before finishing at the Six and Ten news bulletins.

Akahabau, commented on her experience, “It has been amazing to work with the team from the Six and Ten and learn a new skill set from their expertise. I just love learning new things and I always try to be really open. In the future, there are so many things I want to learn how to do, including coming back to work at the BBC full-time when I graduate.”

PICTURED: Huw Edwards and Izin Akhabau

Paul Royall, the Editor of BBC News at Six and Ten, said: “Izin’s story was superb. She reported with flair and imagination and brought an original story to the Ten. We hope to see her again – as well as others from the Digital Apprentice scheme.”

Akahabau’s report focused on spoken word poetry which has now become a familiar feature across festivals all over the UK. She interviewed poet Dylema who told her story about how she used the art form to find her identity performing her own poems exclusively for the studio.

Last month saw the intake of 22 new digital journalism apprentices, with ten starting in local radio stations and twelve across network news.

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