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The road to Rio began at Teesside for successful graduate

06 August 2014

 

England may have made an early exit from this year’s World Cup, but a Teesside University journalism graduate was able to spend three months in Brazil working at the event.

Steve Wilson graduated in 2000 with BA (Hons) Journalism and worked for Reuters News Agency and Football Italia magazine before moving to a television production company in Paris.

The 35-year-old credits the skills he learnt at Teesside University for his incredible career, which has also seen him work at previous World Cups, as well as Euro 2004 and Wimbledon.

In Brazil, Steve was involved in the production of television images used during the World Cup and prepared information for broadcasters covering the event.

He said: 'It is always a thrill to be in the host country during a World Cup. I was based there from early May and so really saw the excitement levels begin to build among the local population.

'People were really excited to have the event in Brazil and to welcome visitors from around the world. It was a very positive experience and a real buzz to know you are right at the heart of an event that the whole world is watching.'

After graduating, Steve secured a job for Reuters News Agency in the Financial Television Department.

'It was a very big step away from what I wanted to do in the print media, but it was an interesting experience seeing a different side to my prospective career,' explained Steve.

While at Reuters, Steve secured an internal position in the sport department and his career really took off. He spent five years there before moving to Football Italia magazine as Production Editor.

He added: 'I spent another five years at Football Italia, writing features, editing, subbing and laying out articles, collating pictures, updating the website, dealing with advertisers - everything really. It was a small team so we had to be able to do it all. That was a really good time and I definitely came out of it with far more experience and skills than when I started.'

Steve then moved to his current role in Paris in 2011 and says although he has moved away from print and online journalism to television and broadcast media, the skills he acquired at Teesside have helped him to adapt.

'Journalism and the media have changed so much in the decade or so since I left Teesside University, but the basics remain the same and the grounding I received in my chosen profession has seen me well through each different step I have taken.

'I've worked in print, online and TV and have been prepared for each strand of the industry thanks to the solid foundation given to me during my degree course.'

Steve, who is originally from Scotland, said he thrived on the new experiences he had when moving to Teesside University and would certainly recommend it.

He added: 'Education is so important and, in these celebrity-obsessed times where it seems kids are being force-fed the idea that being a footballer or pop star are the only ambitions worth having, it gives you such an advantage in life to have taken the time to study something important to you.

'It says something to a potential employer that you have the dedication and determination to stick with something for three years and to push yourself to reach that goal at the end.'


Clearing has been made simple this year at Teesside University.
 
 
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