Three reasons to work towards that APR qualification
On Thursday, 11th February, JumpStart hosted their first breakfast session for young PR practitioners in Johannesburg.
Accredited Public Relations practitioner (APR), long-standing member of PRISA and business partner of PR and marketing company join.the.dots, Ingrid Lotze, addressed the journey from PR practitioner to APR – why is it important to qualify as an APR?
Here are some of the reasons:
Becoming one of the names to name-drop
Becoming an APR is not as simple as clicking ‘apply’ on an online application form – it takes years of industry-focused participation; but once you’ve qualified as an APR you have access to an elite, high-level network base of fellow need-to-know individuals in the industry. With the title “APR” under your name, even more doors will open.
Networking becomes much, much simpler
Once you are an APR, you get to connect on a closer level with fellow APRs – people that have been in the industry for as long as you have, if not longer, who know suppliers and thought leaders that you might not have on your database and would be happy to share contacts. It’s as simple as picking up the phone and giving your fellow APR a friendly call.
The perks, of course
Not only does becoming an APR bring with it a higher level of respect in the industry, it also can offer a much higher pay cheque, need we say more.
Becoming an APR is certainly a criterion relevant to a PR practitioner’s 10 year plan – it’s a title equivalent to “thought leader”. So, exactly how does one become an APR?
The practitioner must be a member of PRISA and must have accrued a maximum of 70 points on the PRISA registration system. If an applicant does not have the required points, career guidance will be given on how to achieve the necessary points.
The practitioner must have at least 10 years’ experience in the professional practice of PR and communication management or in the teaching of this field at an accredited education institution.
If eligible, the practitioner must complete the application form, accompanied with a detailed CV and payment of the initial fee.
After the application has been accepted, the candidate must attend a compulsory orientation session (either in March or July) to prepare for the various assessments.
The assessments conducted include:-
One topic-based written article relevant to the PR and business environments,
One 5-hour practical assessment where candidates will be given a corporate profile and are to compile communication strategies based on the profile,
One oral assessment to review the candidate’s professional knowledge and orientation by way of a set of structured questions.
While the idea of becoming an APR may seem far-long in the future for a young PR practitioner, it’s always important to begin the preparation process in the early stages of your career.
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