The Editorial Skills Lab is a new initiative of the National Media Awards Foundation, launching in Fall 2025. This program is designed to bridge the gap between journalism school and professional practice. Through a series of fully virtual, Zoom-based workshops, participants will learn directly from editors working in Canadian magazines and digital media. The Lab is offered in English only for Year 1.
The Editorial Skills Lab provides hands-on virtual training in the core skills expected in editorial workplaces. Participants will gain practical knowledge of professional standards, newsroom workflows, and the realities of working under deadlines.
Our goal is to help emerging editors build confidence, credibility, and readiness for the job market.
Who Should Register
- Recent graduates (2023–2025) from journalism, publishing, writing, or communications programs
- Early-career freelancers in their first 1–3 years
- Final-year students seeking practical training before entering the field
- Emerging professionals seeking mentorship, reskilling, or a clearer understanding of editorial standards
Curriculum
Sessions are focused on editorial fundamentals and real-world expectations, with attention to both print and digital publishing. Core themes include:
- Writing, Reporting, Editing: fundamentals of clear writing, editing, interviewing, pitching
- Professional Practices: deadlines, sourcing beyond personal circles, cold calling, chasing stories
- Editorial Skills: fact-checking, story development, headline writing, understanding newsroom roles
- Career Navigation: freelancing, contracts and invoicing, resumes/cover letters, overlooked roles (e.g. chase producing, data journalism), standards and practices, and building a professional profile
Additional sessions may touch on SEO, social strategy, and multimedia production.
Instructors
Each session will be led by a senior editor from Canadian media.
- Mary Vallis Cowan – Editor-in-Chief, Yahoo Canada
- Sandra E. Martin – Standards Editor, The Globe and Mail
- Hannah Yakobi – VP, Communications, CIFAR + Editor-in-Chief, FAJO Magazine
Format
- Platform: Zoom
- Session length: 1 hour each
- Instructors: Senior Canadian editors
- Access: All content and recordings will be hosted on the Foundation’s J-Launchpad platform
About the Program
The Editorial Skills Lab is part of the National Media Awards Foundation’s broader commitment to supporting Canadian media. Alongside the National Magazine Awards, Digital Publishing Awards, and National Magazine Awards: B2B, the Editorial Skills Lab is designed to strengthen the editorial skills that sustain Canada’s publishing ecosystem.
Session Details
Cold Calling with Mary Vallis Cowan
📅 Wednesday, October 8 · 12:00–1:00 PM ET
Mary Vallis Cowan is the Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo News Canada, where she leads one of the country’s most widely read digital newsrooms. A former senior editor and reporter at CBC News, the Toronto Star and National Post, her work has been recognized with national honours including a National Newspaper Award and a Digital Publishing Award. Drawing on her extensive newsroom and teaching experience, Mary will share practical strategies for mastering the art of the cold call — a skill that remains essential for every journalist.
Reporting in the Digital Age: Storytelling, Pitching and AI with Hannah Yakobi
📅 Tuesday, October 28 · 12:00–1:00 PM ET
Hannah Yakobi is an award-winning journalist, communications executive and founder of FAJO Magazine, Canada’s first digital fashion magazine. Currently leading strategic communications at CIFAR, she has also guided high-impact initiatives at the Public Policy Forum, the Canadian Cancer Society, and Plan International Canada. With 25 years of experience in local, national and international newsrooms, she is also a longtime mentor, lecturer, and judge for the National Magazine Awards and Digital Publishing Awards. Hannah will explore how journalists can tell compelling stories, pitch effectively, and adapt to a digital landscape shaped by innovation and AI.
Career Management with Sandra E. Martin
📅 Thursday, October 30 · 12:00–1:00 PM ET
Sandra E. Martin is Standards Editor at The Globe and Mail, where she upholds accuracy, transparency and accountability in the newsroom, including navigating the use of AI in journalism. A former Head of Newsroom Development at The Globe, Editor-in-Chief of MoneySense and Canadian Living, Sandra is also a two-time National Magazine Awards finalist, judge, and host. She will share strategies for navigating career transitions, building resilience, and sustaining long-term success in the industry.
