Recently, The Student Steering Committee ran one of its most anticipated events – “Passport to PR”. The event gives students the opportunity to go behind the scenes with the communications departments of some of the best organizations in Toronto. As students go from their schooling to the workforce, it serves to facilitate the transition from student to professional.
On March 19, several groups of students trekked around the city for intense and engaging visits to some of Toronto’s top PR firms. They spent half a day receiving practical advice from seasoned practitioners who shared a wealth of best practice tips, insider glimpses into the day to day life of being in PR and learned about some of the challenges facing the industry today. There was no shortage of personal anecdotes highlighting the satisfaction of working in one of the fastest growing and changing fields.
The students gleaned much information from these sessions, including learning the importance of creating strategic lists to maximize productivity; the essential need to take advantage of learning opportunities, and to be open to trying new things as an intern or as an entry level employee; and the importance of networking and charting a path to one’s passions in the field. Each organization had a unique presentation, and personalized each session to ensure the students were getting the most out of them.
Students strutting their stuff at Edelman.
Picture perfect at Veritas.
Taking a break from roundtable discussions at Argyle.
Ending on a high note at Cohn & Wolfe.
Students raved about the valuable lessons they gained from attending.
“It was great to see firsthand what an agency setting is like and to be able to get a feel for the environment,” said Victoria Braz, a student at Humber in the Public Relations Post-graduate Certificate Program.
“It was very informative and an easy way to get introduced to PR professionals in their industry,” said Jonathan Fletcher, also a student at Humber.
“The Passport to PR event was a really fantastic experience – eye opening on the inner workings of larger agencies and also an opportunity to see the diversity and cross-specialty work that occurs. I will use the valuable information learned through conversations with the practitioners in my pursuit of an internship opportunity as I move forward,” said Leslie Sim, a Public Relations Certificate program student at Ryerson.
CPRS Toronto, and the Student Steering Committee thanks all the organizations that participated, and for giving this opportunity to incoming PR practitioners. Without the participation of our great organizations – Apex Public Relations, Argyle Public Relationships, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Edelman Public Relations, Weber Shandwick Canada, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Strut Entertainment, Pomp and Circumstance PR, Torchia Communications, National Public Relations, Cohn & Wolfe, MSL Canada, North Strategic, Ketchum, FleishmanHillard HighRoad, Veritas Communications, Kaiser Lachance Communications and Paradigm PR – none of this would have been possible.
Students who missed out on this opportunity will have a chance again this summer, when Passport to PR runs its very first Summer Session. Stay tuned!
Written by Daanish Ahamed, Student Steering Committee President