Public Relations Internships,
Placements and Work
Experience
In partnership with the Public Relations Institute of Australia (South Australia)
Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience
UniSA : PRIA partnership
PRIA
UniSA – PR Industry
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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
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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
For current
practitioners
For graduates
For practitioners in
the future
• Writing skills/Interpersonal skills
• Organisations skills
• Research Competence
• Writing skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Organisations skills/Research Competence
• Writing skills/Interpersonal skills
• Research Competence
• Leadership skills
Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience
Skills for future graduates
Public
Communication
Flexibility
Technological
ability
Initiative
Leadership
Public Relations Internships, Placements and Work Experience
Enriching work experience
Five personality traits for
career success
Five characteristics of best
employers
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Openness to experience
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Emotional stability
Extroversion
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:
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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
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Project work.
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Written tasks.
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Media relations.
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Research tasks.
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Assist in strategic planning.
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Assist in communication audits.
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Contribute to pro bono public relations activities.
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Event planning and coordination.
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Preparation and delivery of presentations.
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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 Students
Enrolled 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
Employers register
Students apply
Interview and select
Agree tasks and
outcomes
Complete insurance
form
Complete confidentiality
agreement
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