Paul McClean Graduate Trainee

The FT’s Paul McClean graduate trainee programme recruits and trains entry-level journalists from all walks of life for a long-term career at one of the world’s leading, and most respected, news organisations. 

The scheme is named after Paul McClean, a gifted journalist who produced groundbreaking work during his two years as an FT trainee. Sadly, Paul passed away in September 2017.

We are looking for talented, driven reporters like Paul who want to develop an FT career in financial journalism and global affairs; people who are curious about the world, strongly committed to serious journalism and who enjoy the thrill of nailing a good story.

Alumni of this highly-competitive scheme - now in its 39th year - are well represented in senior staff of the FT and other news organisations around the world.

Applicants must demonstrate they can cope with the pressure of working in a fast-paced news organisation with assignments abroad. You should be a self-starter committed to unstintingly high standards, have a keen interest in business and global affairs, an international mindset and sharp reporting instincts. Strong writing ability is vital. You should be excited about getting scoops and telling stories across all formats. 

Fluent spoken and written English is essential; data journalism skills and languages are an advantage, as is the ability to understand different cultures.

The Paul McClean graduate trainee programme is not an internship or fellowship: it is a full-time contract as a trainee Financial Times journalist.

Successful applicants to the three-year programme will join us in September 2025. They will first receive eight weeks of in-house training, then have four six-month stints on different news desks, including one overseas posting. For the third year, the trainee will undertake their first dedicated job, assuming good performance. Mentoring, feedback and further training are provided throughout.

How to apply

All candidates must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom for a minimum of three years, at the point of application.

Please upload three documents. 

1.) CV, include with dates

• the name and city of your secondary school; 

• university and subject details; 

• post-grad education (if any); 

• other qualifications including data journalism skills; 

• Student or other journalism experience

• languages (include competency level, ideally on the CEFR scale); 

• leisure interests.

• Work experience

2.) Cover Letter: tell us about yourself, including why you want to be a journalist at the FT and why we should choose you. 

3.) An unpublished news story with the emphasis on original reporting, on a topic of interest to FT readers. We are looking for a story that you have researched and written yourself with the FT in mind. It should be a news story - not an opinion piece. Submissions that have been published will be rejected. (500 words max).

Applications submitted without all three requirements, will not be assessed.

FT AI policy

Original reporting, great writing and intelligent commentary lie at the heart of FT journalism.  Our readers trust us to produce quality journalism that is accurate, fair and insightful. This is why FT editorial staff do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to write articles or create other reader-facing content. For specific and pre-approved cases, AI can be harnessed for certain tasks, such as assisting data research for investigations.  

We expect applicants to the FT newsroom to refrain from using AI in their original story, and written materials should be a genuine reflection of their own knowledge, skills and experiences. We encourage candidates only to employ AI as a tool to help with research and interview readiness for a role. 

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process is monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

The deadline for applications is 14 January 2025. Successful applicants will start on 8 September 2025.

Terms

Graduate trainees join the FT on a one-year contract, extended for up to a further year at the discretion of the company. Successful trainees are encouraged to apply for staff positions that become available towards the end of their second year of the three-year scheme.  

The salary is £30,000, in the first-year, rising to £34,000 in the second year and £38,000 in the final, third year on appointment to the first job in a competitive application process. In addition, the trainee will receive a one-off £750 welcome payment on joining. These terms are subject to good performance throughout. 

Eligibility
Applicants in their final year of studies, recent graduates or post-graduates in any discipline may apply. This scheme is not for professional journalists or anyone who has started training courses with other media organisations.

All candidates must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom for a minimum of three years, at the point of application.

Fluent spoken and written English is essential.
If you are in any doubt about your eligibility, or have any other questions, please contact [email protected].

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

What’s in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

We’ve embraced a hybrid working model that promotes flexibility, including remote work options. We will support specific flexibility requests for all roles where feasible.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email [email protected] and a member of our team will be happy to help.