Starting as a Trainee at WAZ: Surreal First Month

In April, I officially started my traineeship with Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ). It is a two-year program that is intense and hands-on, with mentorship, newsroom placements, and everything in between. On day one, I felt like I had stepped into another world.

I was assigned a mentor beforehand and reached out to him right away. And yes, I take mentorship seriously. If someone will help me grow as a journalist, I want to make the most of it. I don’t know where I’ll end up after these two years, but I want to enter that future prepared and sharpened.

Day one kicked off at the massive FUNKE building in Essen. It’s all sleek glass, wide hallways, and buzzing with energy. When I walked into that lobby, I felt like I was walking into my dream. The receptionist already had a folder with my name and handed me a key card. A key card! For the elevators! I sat there, texting a friend that I couldn’t believe this was real. I was here, in a real publishing house, about to start my journey as a journalist.

I met the other two trainees (both women, both lovely), and we were taken under the wing of a kind and welcoming editor who guided us through the day. We were shown around, introduced to what felt like dozens of people (whose names I’ve already forgotten, sorry!), and got our gear: laptop, work phone, everything. We had lunch in the canteen, and the food looked straight out of a restaurant menu. Fancy, plated, delicious. I felt spoiled.

A photographer took professional headshots, and then we sat down with second-year trainees who shared their stories, tips, and what to expect. I felt oddly safe, as if I had stepped into a little bubble of like-minded nerds who geek out over good headlines and front pages.

The next day, I landed in my first newsroom placement: WAZ Herne. Compared to WAZ Velbert, where I did my five-month internship, Herne was in a whole new league. The offices were spacious and modern, with glass everywhere. After introductions, there was no hand-holding. My boss told me to cover a town hall appointment in two hours. No big deal.

Cue panic, research, bus ride, rushed interview, and writing the article the moment I was back. I handed it in, got lots of feedback—some positive, mostly critical, and I couldn’t tell if I’d nailed it or messed up. What I do know: the pace here was fast. There’s no “Would you like to write this?”—it’s “You’re on this topic. Deadline’s today.”

Velbert was like learning to ride a bike with training wheels. Herne was like being dropped onto the Autobahn. But I’m not complaining. I love a challenge, even when it overwhelms me. By the next week, I was the person who arrived first, stayed late, and came armed with more story ideas than expected. My boss warned me they’d probably already covered them, but after I pitched them, he told me to go ahead with most. So I dove in. I reached out, researched, made calls, and planned interviews.

While it’s not so different from my internship, the bar is higher here. I’m constantly asked to write about things I’ve never touched before. These are topics that, frankly, wouldn’t be my first choice. But that’s the challenge, and I’ve learned to treat every article like it’s a story I want to tell. In the midst of it all, I do hold on to the topics I want in my repertoire: people’s stories of empowerment, injustice, uncertainty, crisis, identity.

✨ This article is one I’m quite proud of!

Now, almost a month in, I’ve found my rhythm. I’m still figuring things out, but I’ve come to love the fast pace, the surprise interviews, and the quiet satisfaction of my boss’s nod when a piece lands well. Feedback is still A LOT. It’s rarely sugar-coated, and compliments are few. While my boss assures me it’s only little things he criticises, it seems like a quarter of the text is a construction site. But I’ve come to appreciate that because it’s always constructive and keeps me sharp. Most importantly, behind every edit, I see growth.

Additionally, I try to remind myself: everyone has their own writing voice. The journalistic framework—facts first, clarity, structure—stays the same, but style and tone can vary depending on the person telling the story. What one editor sees as a flaw, another might see as a strength. So while my current boss might critique something specific in my writing, a former editor might have praised that exact same thing.

Remember: Your writing is not necessarily wrong; someone just has a different perspective.

What I also love? The people. My colleagues are quick-witted, curious, and endlessly fun to be around. We can talk politics, true crime, or TV dramas for hours. And that kind of chemistry makes even the busiest newsroom feel like home.

Sure, I miss being out in the field more often. I’d trade one desk day for a good on-site interview any time, but I’m writing constantly, learning endlessly, and building something that already feels like more than just a job.

And that key card? Still makes me smile. Can’t wait to use it when I’m back in the building in Essen one day.