By Luna Habte
Shortly after receiving my congratulations email, which confirmed I had been selected to be PLMR’s new intern, I had an array of perceptions about what the role and industry would be like. My perception of communications and public relations as a career path was that it was very strict and rigid, with constant deadlines, but it is so much more than that.
Interning at a public relations agency was so much more than a strict schedule or a list of deadlines to complete at the end of the day. It was about sharing ideas and supporting one another on projects that meant a lot to a range of different people. Working at PLMR over these four weeks has been the best experience I could have asked for. It has solidified my interest in Communications as, now, more than ever, I am sure that this is the career path that I want to pursue. My internship gave me insight into a variety of different sectors and services, including but not limited to public affairs, education, built environment, as well as working with the digital team. It was the best insight into the industry. I met a range of different people who shared their experiences with me, explaining how they got into the industry and about projects that they are passionate about, which was fascinating conversation to have.
During my time at PLMR, I was given a range of talks on different areas within public relations that would be important for a consultant to grasp, such as media training, crisis and reputation management and a presentation on copywriting. All of which were very helpful for me to gain a real insight into what a consultant would have to do on a day-to-day basis.
Initially, before starting my internship, I was mainly interested in built environment communications, but after completing my internship, I found that I enjoyed education communications the most. Education communications was not something that I had considered before or had much knowledge of prior. However, after working with the team on their accounts, I found the experience rewarding and the work that they did very stimulating. The education sector is an area I hope to explore further in the future. What I most enjoyed about working with the education communications team was completing an education committee monitoring task as it was exciting to watch a committee discuss things that are going to impact a lot of lives. The work done at the agency is so important and it was fulfilling to work on accounts that are a very big help to a range of different people and communities. Public relations with purpose was at the forefront of my mind throughout my internship.
Another highlight of my internship were the weekly check-ins to monitor my progress, which is a testament to the high level of care by the company that I worked at and individuals who worked there as well.
Personally, this internship emphasised how greatly an opportunity can make an impact on a person. This internship is not something I will ever forget as it has catapulted me into exploring the industry further and has made me want to seek out more opportunities. It has made me hopeful for my future career in public relations as I feel comfortable to work on different accounts and complete a vast number of diverse tasks due to the responsibilities I had during my internship.
Luna recently completed a four-week internship at PLMR. The internship was organised alongside the Taylor Bennett Foundation. The Foundation supports and encourages black, Asian and minority ethnic young people to pursue a career in communications.
