Centennial’s 2013 Corporate Communications and Public Relations program is almost done, so it’s time to reflect. So without further ado, here is my CCPR reflection blog post.
Well, first of all, it was really hard. So much work. You know when you’re in school and you always have that one “hell week” where assignments are due everyday and you have no time to complete them? Well, I’ve had three. At least. Communications is pressing work. At any given point,you have a million projects and one day to do them; no excuses!
So what was the best thing I learned at Centennial? It’s difficult to say; I’ve learned an entirely different form of writing, i.e. PR writing as opposed to academic writing; I’ve learned to organize and prioritize; I’ve met great people. Hmm. But I think maybe the best thing I’ve learned is the business placemat first developed by David Moorcroft. The placemat is a short, to the point communications plan that condenses all the necessary information into 2-4 pages. It’s incredibly efficient and helps to visualize the connection between communications and business.
It was difficult to get the hang of at first because it’s a lot of matching your statements to categories such as communications objectives and communications priorities – is there a difference? Believe me, there’s a difference. But you’ll have to enroll at Centennial to find out – or hire me one day?
Of course, the life skills were also important at Centennial. Particularly the ‘working with people you don’t agree with’ part. I was always taught in school to tough it out and assess everyone’s talents separately if you’re working on a project with people you don’t like, and that came in handy at Centennial. Apparently, some people aren’t taught that, so it was a great tool to put into my box (and onto my resume). I’ve worked with a lot of people in my class. From a purely personal point of view, some of them are great and some of them are a trial but as my mother always said, “you’ll meet all kinds of people in this life.” Indeed I have – and it’s only been 24 years!
Centennial has one thing that many universities don’t. And that’s real, practical experience. During this course I’ve had to do a real project for a client, create a newsletter that brands myself and now I’m going on to my internship, which the college helps you find. It’s as if I took eight months to attend a training program rather than a post-secondary program. And that’s what will count in the “real world.” That scary place where you actually get paid for your assignments instead of paying – gasp! Can’t wait.
Later my dears,
Rosanna
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