Hi all,
I have been reflecting on my work experience so far and have been interested by a number of points. What has fascinated me about doing my work experience placement is just how similar PR in the workplace is to the PR in practice that we have studied at uni. Of course there is so much that we could never learn at uni, and I have really appreciated learning through experience during my placement. I always had the idea in the back of my mind that all the theory we learn at uni isn’t actually what PR is all about but on the contrary it is all about the media releases, timelines, communicating with target audiences etc.
There are also opportunities for the theoretical skills we have learnt to be adapted for different tasks. Working at a magazine, all the work we have done on sponsorship at uni, is easily adapted to when we communicate with advertisers, one of our most important stakeholder groups.
There was also a lot of compiling of databases like the media contact lists we did in PR Media and outlining how to maintain strong stakeholder relationships through drawing up strategies and plans. This was important at the magazine because there is often a need to reuse contacts and information provided by advertisers in future editions and to have to start from scratch with each edition is impractical.
Has anyone else been surprised at how much the uni stuff is like the actual workplace tasks?
Michele
8 comments:
Hi,
I was also surprised with this, as I have had to take my uni books to my work placement to help me construct media releases and sponsorship proposals. At least we know know what they teach us here at uni, can actually be applied to the real world! YAY
hi,
I was also apprehended as I begin working as a Corp Comms Officer. In summary, what I always felt empowered with through studying PR has indeed come to pass.
It makes me realise the practicality of the reports and assignments tasked for us. It not only create in us a competitive edge but also a tinge of PR experience before we go into the working world.
I wouldn't say I was surprised with the cross over and similarities between uni work and real P.R. experience, however I do agree that it was very satisfying! It is exciting being given a task and having the confidence in your abilities to know you can do it well. I think we all have Curtin and our passionate and accomplished tutors to thank for that!
I graduate at the end of this semester and am so looking forward to finding a job in the industry.
Hi,
That's exactly what I thought during my internship!Of course, it wasn't all same, but fundamental of PR was just same as what we learnt from uni. It made me easier to understand what PR is in the real world.
I too have taken my uni work and pr books to my placement with me. And they've come in handy too. The boss called me into his office and asked me if I knew how to do a sponsorship proposal. I remembered looking at the clear plastic file on top of the pile in which i could just make out the words 'sponsorship template' - a handout I'd received last semester just that morning and had thought to myself 'im not going to need that I've been lugging it on the train for the last couple of weeks and haven't used it thus far. Hesitantly I picked it up. 'I better take it just in case' I thought. Was I glad. It was the first task assigned to me by the director and I can say he was rather impressed with what I came up with. All thanks to a nice little handout my tutor Sue Davidson gave me. Sue I owe you one. I can say I haven’t been surprised at the overlap between the theory learnt at uni and that in the PR world but I have learnt there is a giant leap in standard between media release written at uni and those for the corporate PR world. I think uni has given us a really good base on which to build, and completing this PR prac unit has advanced on those foundations. I really come to appreciate how vitally important prac is and feel a lot more confident about entering the working world once I finish uni this semester.
Heya Michele,
Yep. It's wonderful how real-life tasks are already introduced at Uni and to use it at the workplace... phew!
Like most of you, I do bring in the text as a guide and all it needs doing is your vocab prowess. Coz I'm serving a NFP organisation, I got to learn to use emo words to sway my audience. At first, it was "Urgh, I know that word, but why isn't it coming to me?!"
But as days passed, all I needed from my supervisor was her signature to finish the letters/releases.
Glad all those five previous units came in handy! =)
Hey Michele,
Yup, i would have to agree with you that whatever that we have learn in uni for PR has been put into test in the real world.
While I was doing my placement, I was surprise that there were some similarities such as preparing media kits for the medias, writing up media releases as well as assisting and helping out in the year end budget.
It is great that when we are given a task to be done and at the end of the day, we have the confidence to complete it as we have the experience or perhaps an idea to do so.
Last but not least, CONGRATS in completing your placement and if your still writing your final report..good luck in it and all the best in your future undertakings!
Cheers!
YES!!
Now I wish I had really paid attention to all the contingency planning stuff!
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