Falmouth journalism graduates land jobs with the BBC

Two recent Falmouth journalism graduates have followed in the footsteps of other alumni to secure jobs with the BBC.

Star McFarlane, who graduated in 2021, has secured a place on the highly sought-after BBC Journalist Apprenticeship Scheme, after a four-stage interview process – beating several thousand candidates. 

Meanwhile, Will Candelent has been appointed as a multimedia journalist for BBC Spotlight here in the South West.

Star was inspired by Falmouth Sports Journalism alumnus Shaun Dacosta, who took the same path after graduating in 2019 before taking up his current role working in the BBC Radio Sport Newsroom. She was also one of five women who took part in the BBC's 50:50 Equality Project earlier this year.

Star said: "At almost every stage of the selection process, they encouraged us to just be ourselves and let our curiosity shine out of everything we were pitching to them, which was quite a liberating and exciting experience.

"I owe the confidence I had to present myself and my ideas to doing the journalism course at Falmouth. I learnt many things from the course but I think the most valuable was how to stay true to myself and what really sets my passions alight. Ultimately, I think it's that that's got me here and made me a better journalist."

A talented video content producer who graduated in 2019, Will directed and produced an outstanding story for the BBC about surf lifesaver Sophie Bennett for Mental Health Awareness Day. He made an acclaimed video for the BBC – How Surf Lifesaving Saved My Life – within months of leaving the University. Since then, he has also worked with a range of international clients to produce news, commercial and promotional content.

I learnt many things from the course but I think the most valuable was how to stay true to myself and what really sets my passions alight.

Will might well bump into another Journalism BA(Hons) classmate Meah Howlett on his South West reporting beat. Meah works as a journalism co-ordinator for BBC Cornwall.

Like Will, Meah made the most of a series of freelance appointments with the BBC in the region. The broadcaster picked up her outstanding final-year radio documentary project into a programme for the channel's England Unwrapped strand – In Two Minds: Should I Get Tested for Huntington's Disease.

Course Leader Andy Chatfield commented: "It is very gratifying to see the talents of Star and Will bear fruit at the highest levels of journalism and a testament to our programme's strong emphasis on employability, our industry connections and the first-class mentoring programme overseen by my colleague Kevin Bishop. I wish them the very best of luck for this exciting new chapter in their careers."

Professor Paul Springer, Director of the School of Communication, said: "The employability rate on journalism is consistently impressive. The way Andy, Kevin and the team leverage their contacts to give students their break, and the way they are prepped to take their opportunities, is exceptionally good."

Explore our Journalism courses: Journalism and Creative Writing BA(Hons) | Journalism MA (Online)