Having worked at Historic Royal Palaces for a year, in the admissions team at the Tower of London, I jumped at the opportunity to apply for the position of PR and Communications Apprentice, as I knew that this role would allow me to learn all the skills I needed to tell the stories of these majestic palaces, bringing them to life in the press.
The projects I have been involved in and the responsibility I have been awarded in such a short amount of time leave me pinching myself daily. There’s never a quiet moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The novelty of walking to work via a drawbridge, and being greeted upon arrival with the noisy squawks of the resident ravens is still yet to wear off, and in a month’s time they’ll be the focus of attention as I supervise some onsite filming.
My days usually start with a cup of tea, and the newspapers – putting together a daily report for stakeholders which sums up relevant arts stories alongside any appearances by Historic Royal Palaces in the media. I also answer any inbound enquiries, which include but are not limited to filming requests, image or information requests relating to our palaces or onsite offers and requests for complimentary tickets by commissioned journalists. These tasks remain a consistent part of my role, but the remainder of my day could be spent on content for social media, on drafting press releases, supervising film crews and more.
The project that I enjoyed working on the most was helping to create a Christmas video for Kensington Palace. This gave me a true appreciation for how much work goes into content creation, from planning to filming to editing, and I picked up lots of new skills along the way. The video performed fantastically and gave me a real sense of achievement. I’m looking forward to creating another piece of video content for Historic Royal Palaces’ social channels in May, where my new- found skills mean I can be more independent.
I spend one day a week on PRCA work, participating in the huge variety of webinars the PRCA has to offer, completing reports and doing complimentary reading. I’ve found that my studies have been very helpful for my role at Historic Royal Palaces, and vice-versa. As someone who thrives on learning new things, I’ve found this very rewarding.
I would wholeheartedly recommend an apprenticeship for someone who is looking to launch themselves into a career in PR. The nature of my work has exceeded my expectations, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend industry events and as somebody who loves history, I feel privileged that I am able to work in, and write about six of the most important palaces in the UK.