What are the employment opportunities in Public Relations?

Public Relations is no different than any other industry - there are jobs for the people who are really, really looking to get in. Public Relations opportunities exist in consultancies, semi-state organisations, multi-national companies, SMEs, charitable and voluntary organisations, political lobbying consultancies and event management companies (to name but a few).

There is no waiting list of positions to be filled (but there is none in accountancy, advertising or journalism either) but there are good job prospects for someone with training and initiative who is prepared to work hard. There will always be a bright future for PR people as every company/organisation/charity needs to communicate.

What are the employment opportunities in Journalism?

There are journalism opportunities for well trained and highly motivated people. Nowadays, journalists are mainly employed under contracts of employment - and there is huge growth in the freelance sector.

There has been an explosion of outlets for journalistic skills in recent years - local media is expanding rapidly, local radio has provided numerous opportunities and there are newsletters and the online media to consider as well.

There will always be a need for well trained journalists, reporters, sub-editors, stringers, colour writers, opinion piece writers etc.

What are the employment opportunities in Event Management?

The climate for Event Management has never been better. Some event management specialists work in-house, others combine PR and event management, and many operate solely as event managers.

You will find event management consultancies in every county in Ireland. It is a specialisation which has rapidly become a nationwide phenomenon.

Do you offer work placement on your courses?

We do not offer work placements on any of our courses. Work placement is more common on full-time courses of study.

How well recognised is the Academy and its courses?

We have been teaching Academy and other courses since our foundation in 1992. Our courses are well established and geared specifically to industry needs.

Our courses are validated by HETAC (the Higher Education and Training Awards Council), the ICM (the Institute of Commercial Management, UK) and C4EE (the Centre for Excellence in Events), as well as ourselves. Each of these bodies is long-established, highly reputable and internationally known.

The Academy has experts in public relations and journalism, who advise on all of our courses. In addition, each of our tutors and lecturers contributes recommendations and suggestions on an ongoing basis.

How long is the Academy established?

Founded in 1992, the Irish Academy of Public Relations is an independent educational foundation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. The Academy specialises in teaching public relations, event management and journalism courses.

Courses are taught in colleges throughout the country, and by e-mail throughout the world.

The Irish Academy of Public Relations is the largest private provider of PR education in Ireland.

What type of people study public relations?

This is an impossible question to answer. Public relations is a subject which appeals to a broad sweep of people. Usually, our students range in age from 20s to 50s. Their backgrounds are very mixed - in 2003, for example, we had a paediatrician, an archaeologist and a Senator. We also had secretaries, nurses, hotel workers, teachers, civil servants, managers - in fact, just about everyone. Once you meet the entry standard (in terms of age and educational qualification) you are free to join the course.

What type of people study journalism?

Another impossible question to answer. Most study journalism in order to become journalists/reporters. Some people study journalism because they have an expertise in a particular field and they want to write occasional articles about it. Others want to improve their writing skills for contributions they make to their company newsletters. The mix in age groups is as broad as it is on the public relations courses, from 20 to 50 (roughly), with mixed backgrounds. In 2007 we had freelance journalists, teachers, civil servants and PAs, as well as an IT consultant, bar tender, software tester, DTP specialist, tote assistant, cinema staff, caterer, pricing specialist, manager, legal secretary, fire safety consultant and sales assistant.

What type of people study Event Management?

If there was only one type of person, it would be so easy to answer this question. Event Management generally attracts people who are good organisers. People who get a buzz from being involved in every facet of organising an event from counting the chairs to meeting the celebrities.

Event management often involves working with media – setting up photo-calls, arranging interviews etc. – so it attracts people who have a lively interest in public relations, but do not want to work exclusively in that field.

The backgrounds of people studying this course are very mixed. In 2008, for example, we had hotel receptionists, office managers, customer service advisors, sales personnel, event managers, a CAD Technician, teacher, administrator, reservations agent, custody administrator, insurance underwriter, recruitment consultant, cabin crew, bank official and marketing manager.  

Is it true that the Academy has European and International links?

The Academy, through our director, holds active membership of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists), CERP (The European Confederation of Public Relations Practitioners) and EUPRERA (the PR Education and Research body). Our director is a Fellow of the PRII (Public Relations Institute of Ireland), and a former national chairperson (Ireland) of IPRA (International Public Relations Association). The C4EE (Centre for Excellence in Events) validates our Diploma in Event Management course and our students hold membership of NEO (the Network of Event Managers in Ireland).

Through its membership of each of these bodies, the Academy makes available to students a European and international perspective on public relations and journalism, and access to best practice and gold papers issued by these professional associations.

Can I use initials after my name immediately after graduating?

The Academy is the only college in the country which grants an immediate, lifelong designation to its graduates. On graduation, Diploma holders are entitled to use the designation MIAPR.

Is Ellen Gunning the same woman who wrote the book that I will be studying?

Yes she is. The Academy's Director, Ellen Gunning, is author of "Public Relations - A practical approach," first published by Gill & Macmillan in April 2003. Her book is the core text on all public relations courses throughout the country. The second edition of this text was published in 2007.

Does Ellen Gunning lecture on any of the courses?

Yes she does. Ellen enjoys meeting the students and makes a point of delivering guest lectures to students on as many of the Academy's courses as possible.

Was Ellen Gunning the chairwoman of IPRA in Ireland?

Yes. She was unanimously elected chairperson for Ireland of IPRA, the International Public Relations Association for a two-year term of office in January 2006, and again in January 2008.

There are so many PR courses to choose from - which one should I take?

Each course is designed to suit a different need, so we have answered questions on each course individually. Scroll down and have a look.

Who should study the Public Relations & Publicity Skills course?

The PR and Publicity Skills course is perfect for someone who wants to get a feeling for what public relations is all about. It is suitable for people who handle public relations on a local voluntary basis for community or charity. The course is suited to someone who is presently a voluntary PRO for a local charity, residents association, summer project etc. and wants to get a better idea of how to master the PR techniques (and press release writing) which will generate favourable coverage for that organisation. The course is taught in colleges throughout the country.

Who should study the Certificate in Public Relations?

The Certificate course is perfect for someone who is working in a small organisation, who sees the potential PR opportunities for the company, and wants to enhance their role within the firm by adding PR to their brief. It is also suitable for those working in a related area - customer service, human resources, marketing, advertising etc. - who want to develop a better understanding of what public relations is all about. The course is also suitable for anyone contemplating a post-graduate course of study, but who is unsure about what exactly the discipline involves.

Who should study the Diploma in Event Management?

The Diploma in Event Management is geared to people who are looking for a career in event management. Open to students over 17 years of age, the diploma is fast-paced. and will suit people with good organisational skills.

I'm not sure which Journalism course I should be studying - help?

Each course is designed to suit a different need, so we have answered questions on each course individually. Scroll down and have a look.

Who should study the News Journalism course?

The News Journalism course is perfect for someone who wants to get a feeling for what journalism is all about. It is suitable for someone who wants to write for the local parish bulletin, or might be already writing for the bulletin but wants to improve their knowledge and skills. The course is taught in colleges throughout the country.

Who should study the Certificate in Journalism?

The Certificate course is geared to someone who wants for find out what journalism is all about. It is suitable for someone who currently writes on an ad-hoc basis. It is also relevant to those with responsibility for compiling, editing and publishing newsletters. The Certificate course focuses on how to conduct interviews and write news, features, colour etc.

Who should study Grammar for Journalists and Sub-Editors?

If you are a journalist working within the industry, writing for a living, you need a good standard of English. In fact, if you are curious about the English language, this course will be of interest to you. The course explains the basics of grammar, highlights common errors and shows how sentences are constructed. It equips you with the ability to amend any poor writing and understand the reason for the amendment.

If you are subbing for a living, you will appreciate the need for an understanding of grammar, syntax and sentence construction. Your job, as a sub, involves spotting and correcting the errors of others – to do that, you need a good understanding of grammar. This course equips you to make those amendments, understand why they are being made, and spot common grammatical errors which might otherwise ‘slip through’.