Ten journalism graduates have started five month paid placements at independent radio stations across Ireland.
The 2026 Learning Waves Journalism Graduate Programme has been launched at WLR FM in Waterford, with participants joining South East Radio, Beat, Mid West Radio, KCLR, East Coast FM, Newstalk, Live 95FM, Northern Sound, Midlands 103 and Galway Bay FM.
David Corish joins South East Radio, Lily Kennedy goes to Beat, Lauren Scates to Mid West Radio, Owain Comerford Jones to KCLR and Jack Massey to East Coast FM.
Millie Reid joins Newstalk, Liam Timmins goes to Live 95FM, Pádraig Corrigan to Northern Sound, Daniel Boyne to Midlands 103 and Dylan Hudson to Galway Bay FM.
Alongside working with journalists, producers and broadcasters, the graduates will receive training covering broadcast journalism, content creation, media literacy, broadcast law, voice training, disinformation, artificial intelligence and personal development. Each participant will also have a mentor during the placement.
The programme is jointly funded by Learning Waves, Coimisiún na Meán and Skillnet Ireland and was first piloted with five participants in 2019.
Teresa Hanratty, Network Director of Learning Waves Skillnet, said: “This programme gives graduates something that is very difficult to replicate in a classroom with the opportunity to work in a live newsroom, learn directly from experienced journalists and broadcasters and develop their skills by actually doing the job.”
The latest intake starts shortly after former programme participant Jamie Ryan, now at East Coast FM, received the Gay Byrne Award for Best Newcomer at the 2026 IMRO Radio Awards.
