PRCA & Pearson in Practice to shake up PR careers with first ever Apprenticeship scheme

London, 8 December 2011 - The PRCA and Pearson in Practice today announced that they are leading a partnership to develop and deliver an Apprenticeship programme for the public relations industry providing non graduates with a clear, structured and industry recognised career path into the industry.

This new apprenticeship programme will offer an alternative route into an industry currently dominated by graduates. The programme, a win-win for employers and employees alike will combine on-the-job training, qualifications and development with real-life work experience. Apprentices will work towards nationally recognised qualifications, equivalent to a foundation degree.

Francis Ingham, PRCA chief executive said, “The PR industry contributes £7.5bn per year to the UK economy. It’s about time we had an apprenticeship scheme to ensure a steady stream of high calibre candidates for our industry. This is a massive win for the PRCA, our members and the industry as a whole.“

The Apprenticeship Programme will target young people with enthusiasm for a PR career but who have chosen not to pursue a degree, thereby attracting hundreds of new, young and talented people to the industry. There is wide support for the scheme within the sector as it is looking to recruit from increasingly diverse backgrounds.

Apprenticeships are seen as the gold standard in on the job training in the UK with more than 100,000 employers offering programmes. They offer a structured training programme for both existing employees and new starters. Research by the National Apprenticeship Service shows that 77% of employers who already have Apprentices believe they make them more competitive and 88% believe that they lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce.

Following a successful application to the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), worth £1.2m over 2 years, the PRCA and Pearson in Practice will spend the next 12 months working with PR employers and experienced practitioners to develop a programme that will meet employer and employee needs. It is envisaged that the first Apprenticeships will begin in September 2012.

The programme will be developed in partnership between the PRCA, Pearson in Practice, Edexcel and the CfA, and will create 600 apprenticeship roles within the PR industry over a three-year period. The partnership brings together the strength and innovation of the PRCA’s training offering with Pearson in Practice’s established position as the UK’s leading provider of apprenticeships.

Sally Costerton, Chairman of the PRCA and Chairman of Hill and Knowlton Europe and Australia, Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia said

“The PR Apprenticeships programme is exciting news for the PR industry – it is an opportunity for us to examine how we deliver our services and review which skills we develop in new recruits. I expect employers like myself will be fighting to get involved with this new apprenticeship scheme. Congratulations to the PRCA and Pearson in Practice for making it happen”

Fiona McBride, CEO of Pearson in Practice said:

“We welcome the emphasis that is now being placed on higher level apprenticeships as a true and credible alternative to university education. It reveals what we believe is a sea change in public opinion about the value of vocational learning and demonstrates a widespread understanding of the important role that apprenticeships play in setting young people on the path towards not just a job, but a sustainable and fulfilling career.”

UK Government Skills Minister John Hayes said:

"The Government is putting apprenticeships on a level with academic study, enabling young people to gain degree level qualifications while earning a wage and learning a trade.   This new partnership is great news for the public relations industry, and for ambitious young people who want to forge a career in this vital sector."



                                                                           -ENDS-


Notes to Editors

For comment or more information, please contact:

Richard Ellis, Communications Director at the PRCA: T: 07779 102 758 or E: Richard.ellis@prca.org.uk; or

Ollie Lawson, Communications Manager, Pearson in Practice; t: 07808 790546 e: ollie.lawson@pearson.com


Pearson in Practice

Pearson in Practice delivers outstanding professional technical learning and development. We change lives, businesses and economies by providing high quality, industry-specific training and qualifications. This is achieved through Apprenticeships, work-based, technical and specialised training programmes.

We give people the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that lead to successful jobs and careers. We also help businesses and other organisations to build skills, improve efficiency, increase productivity and gain competitive edge.

For more information please visit www.pearsoninpractice.com


PRCA

Who we are: Founded in 1969, the PRCA is the professional body that represents UK PR consultancies, in-house communications teams, PR freelancers and individuals.  The PRCA promotes all aspects of public relations and internal communications work, helping teams and individuals maximise the value they deliver to clients and organisations.

What we do: The Association exists to raise standards in PR and communications, providing members with industry data, facilitating the sharing of communications best practice and creating networking opportunities.

How we do it and make a difference: All PRCA members are bound by a professional charter and codes of conduct, and benefit from exceptional training. The Association also works for the greater benefit of the industry, sharing best practice and lobbying on the industry's behalf e.g. fighting the NLA's digital licence.

Who we represent: The PRCA represents many of the major consultancies in the UK, and currently has more than 250 agency members from around the world, including the majority of the top 100 UK consultancies. We also represent over 70 in-house communications teams from multinationals, UK charities and leading UK public sector organisations.


CfA:

CFA - Business skills @ work (previously known as Council for Administration) is a government recognised standard setting organisation.

In collaboration with its partners, the CFA develops standards, qualifications and apprenticeship frameworks for the following sectors:

•    Business & Administration
•    Consultancy & Business Support
•    Contact Centres
•    Customer Service
•    Enterprise
•    Governance
•    Human Resources
•    Industrial relations
•    Languages & Intercultural working
•    Management & Leadership
•    Marketing
•    Recruitment
•    Sales

In 2010, CFA formed a partnership with several leading UK organisations that are involved in delivering, developing and overseeing business skills in the UK.

For more information contact info@cfa.uk.com or visit www.cfa.uk.com

Funding:

The funding for the Programme comes for Government’s £18.7m Higher Apprenticeship Fund which will support the development of 19,000 new Higher Apprenticeships, enabling employers to benefit from the skills most critical for Growth.

Details of the Higher Apprenticeship Fund, including a full list of projects it supports can be found: www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom

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