Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work

Experience

In partnership with the Public Relations Institute of Australia (South Australia)

UniSA : PRIA partnership

PRIA

• The Public Relations Institute of Australia stipulates that:

Only degrees which have as their objective the preparation of students for careers in public relations/ communication units will be considered for accreditation

UniSA – PR Industry

• PR students are working towards career readiness

• Practitioners are working towards the realisation of students’ potential

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

PRIA Accreditation

Accreditation is a benchmark by which public relations/communication in tertiary education institutions are shown to have a level of performance, integrity and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and to the public relations industry that they prepare graduates effectively for the profession.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Skills important to contemporary PR practice

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Skills for future graduates

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Enriching work experience

Five personality traits for career success

• Openness to experience

• Agreeableness

• Conscientiousness

• Emotional stability

• Extroversion

Five characteristics of best employers

• Inspired leadership

• Unique Company Culture

• Focus on Growing Talent

• Strong Sense of Accountability

• Aligned HR practices and Excellent Execution

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Values based PR career

Respecting and recognising:• Individual values

• Values of others

• Organisational values

• Professional values

Public relations making a difference

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

The new internship and placement program

For students in the Bachelor of Public Relations.

Experiential learning in the form of internships, placements and work experience.

Strengthening the bridge between education and the public relations profession.

Website to guide employers through process of preparing, hosting and evaluating the student www.unisa.edu.au/printernship

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Internships, placements and work experience

Differ in the duration, level of supervision and the tasks undertaken.

Internships• minimum of 120 hours – 3rd year students only • students have grade point averages of credit and above • supervised by senior communications manager• individual students working on a variety of tasks

Placements• minimum of 120 hours – 3rd year students only• supervised by experienced manager (not necessarily comms)• individual or team of students working on a project

Work experience• informal experience, not part of degree requirements• no time restrictions

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Timeframes

Hours can be completed full-time (three weeks) or part-time.

Student and employer negotiate and agree on working hours.

Most students seeking internships and placements in Aug - Oct.

Other times can be negotiated to suit the needs of the employer.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Employer benefits and obligations

Benefits of hosting a PR student include:• assistance in busy periods and with large projects• fresh ideas and enthusiasm• the opportunity to assess future employees• the ability to contribute to the development of the profession

In return, employers are expected to provide:• challenging work, • expert supervision and • constructive feedback.

UniSA staff are willing to discuss ideas to help with this if needed.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Suggested tasks

•Project work.

•Written tasks.

•Media relations.

•Research tasks.

•Assist in strategic planning.

•Assist in communication audits.

•Contribute to pro bono public relations activities.

•Event planning and coordination.

•Preparation and delivery of presentations.

•Administrative duties, including database management (as

necessary but should be a minority of the overall work).

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

UniSA PR StudentsEnrolled in the Bachelor of Public Relations

Three years full-time study (or equivalent), comprising • professional major of 7 courses in public relations, • professional concentration of 3 courses (including marketing)• 5 foundation units• 2 elective courses• elective sub-major

The Internship or Placement course is available to students in their last semester of study, however students in all three years of the degree can undertake work experience.

The degree is accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) and the degree qualifies students for membership of the Institute after three years of professional experience.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Preparing for the experience

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

During the experience

Ongoing feedback is expected from the employer during their time at the organisation.

Student assessment includes:• a reflective journal• tutorial discussions• a portfolio of work• a presentation

Employers are encouraged to discuss, but do not assess, this work.

Employers can expect students to work with a high level of professionalism at all times, however if there are any concerns, UniSA staff are available to discuss options.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Completing the experience

Employer provides formal written feedback at the end of an internship or placement.

No formal feedback required for work experience students.

Employers are welcome to attend oral presentation.

Consider entering student work in an appropriate industry awards competition if appropriate.

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience

Thank you for your interest in our program.

More information is available on our website at www.unisa.edu.au/printernship

Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience