Using unexpected skills!

Design Practice 172. Any Event Management students remember that unit? I know people that even took it as an 'elective' because it was considered a 'fun' unit. 

At the time I also considered it relatively fun for a compulsory unit, however I didn't really think about how I would be using it in the future!

Little did I know, the skills I learnt would become invaluable in my PR internship! My PR supervisor was formerly a product designer and therefore has amazing graphic design abilities! 

She has been great with allowing me to develop my skills in this area. She will allow me to work on design projects, and after allowing me to play around and figure out things on my own, she will help me by showing me quicker and easier ways to do things. 

It has deepened my understanding of the different tasks a PR Officer may have to undertake, especially in such a small department (in my case only one person!). In a school there is so much more going on than I expected, and almost everything needs something designed in some form or another. Doing this in-house instead of outsourcing this service produces much faster turnaround times, yet is still high quality because of the programs and skills available in-house. 

What skills have you had to use in your internship that you thought you wouldn't have to? 

Are you the new photographer?

This is a question I have been asked countless times throughout my internship from various teachers and other staff, despite being introduced from the start as the Public Relations Intern. This has contributed to my awareness of the general lack of understanding of the important role of PR. 

In some cases, a lack of understanding of the importance of PR and its contribution to the College mission affected the time and effort people were willing to put into tasks we required of them. It seems that most people don't understand that even though they may be doing great things within their learning area, if it is not being communicated, it is hard to maximize the benefits. However it is difficult to portray this, when it is not their area of work and they are focused on things they view as more important. 

Therefore I have been learning to frame tasks in a way that helps the person to understand the purpose of the task and how it will be beneficial to the College, in order to motivate the person to contribute according to the purpose of the task. I am hoping that the effort I put into this will make a small difference in the understanding of the important role of PR, as well as the reliance we have on staff to be able to to conduct effective PR activities. It is also the hope that people will understand we are more than just photographers!

PR in schools - they do more than you think!

Upon arrival on my first day, I had teacher after executive after teacher making jokes about how "Linda (my supervisor) doesn't do anything all day" and that "she has so much time on her hands". Linda had already informed me that she was extremely busy at the moment, but these comments made me realise that she wasn't just busy. She was REALLY busy, and everyone knew it. Apparently I couldn't have come at a better time. 

I thought to myself, "how busy can a one-person PR department at a school really be? Maybe everyone is over reacting". Oh how wrong I was. It turns out the role of a public relations professional in a school encompasses so much more than the traditional role of PR we had spent so much time learning about at uni.  

With only one person working in PR, Linda is the photographer, the graphic designer, the event manager, the liaison, you name it - it's her job. There is no team of people for tasks to be delegated between. It is just her, and now me. 

Open Day is the biggest event of the year, and I was right in time to help plan and execute their annual event that showcases everything the school has to offer. There is huge pressure to communicate the right messages, as the school is only three years old and the brand is still being established. 

I'm hopeful that through helping me learn and grow in my PR skills, I will also be able to provide a valuable contribution and actually be helpful!