Navigating the Changing Landscape of Lifelong Learning

Embracing ongoing learning is integral to enhancing the lives of communicators at any stage of their careers. Whether you’re a working professional aiming to expand your skill set or a student thinking about graduate school, a plethora of options await you. (In fact, a recent Google search of the term “PR Certificate Program” yielded nearly 5 million results.)

Why the proliferation of such programs? In a word: Change.

“The world is changing and communication is at the forefront,” said Mike Cherenson, APR, Fellow PRSA, executive vice president of SCG Communications and co-academic director of the Communication Certificate Program at Rutgers University. “PR practitioners have to find ways to retool and reorient quickly in this shifting landscape. And so, new forms of training and education are emerging.”

Unerstanding the options

The first step to finding the right PR learning program is understanding what’s currently available to learners:

• Undergraduate and graduate degree programs remain the pathway to earning a college degree in public relations, and now include more online options than ever before.  
• Certificate programs are shorter courses of study that often focus on strengthening specific skills, such as crisis communications or knowledge of a specific industry such as health care. They are offered through professional associations, employers, private entities or academic graduate programs, especially programs geared toward working professionals.
• Microcertificate or microcredential programs may be even shorter and more focused than certificate programs. They can be a series of short courses and are usually focused on skills needed for a specific employer or job, such as analytical tools for a particular web platform. Successful completion of the microcertificate(s) may earn a microcredential, such as a badge, which can be displayed on the recipient’s social media sites.

If you’re a professional who’s considering jumping back into school, then certificate and microcertificate programs are excellent ways to dip a toe in the water.

“These programs can help you understand yourself as a potential student for the more rigorous degree programs,” said Maria Russell, APR, Fellow PRSA, emerita professor of public relations, and director, Newhouse Executive Education Programs at Syracuse University. “You’ll discover quickly whether you enjoy independent learning and whether you have the time and fortitude to succeed for a year or more.”

Understanding what’s in it for you

The next step is to identify your educational and professional goals and match them to the appropriate training programs. Most programs focus on one of five areas:

• Enhancing specific skills: Jeneen Garcia, PRSA’s senior vice president of programs, who oversees PRSA’s portfolio of 16 certificate programs, suggests that learners consider three things when choosing skill enhancement training: “Do I know what skills I need to advance in my career? Do I know what skills my employer values? Can I find training in those areas?” 

Cherenson also suggests skills training as a means of transitioning into areas where you want to be — not necessarily where you are now. “If you want a job working on a specific web platform, consider training on that platform,” he said. 

• Strengthening knowledge of the industry you serve: Russell notes, “PR professionals hear this from employers over and over again: ‘You’re a great writer, but you don’t understand our business.’” 

Increasingly, PR professionals seeking the proverbial ‘seat at the table’ look for professional education not just in public relations, but also in business and management to better understand those fundamentals and their employers’ industries.”

• Improving your ability to adapt to specific job demands and environments: If you work at an organization that makes highly scrutinized decisions affecting many stakeholders, for example, then you might choose training that strengthens your crisis communications skills.

• Developing general strategic and organizational skills: Academic PR programs can’t teach everything, and certificate programs provide a way to gain additional expertise in skills broadly valued in the workplace, such as decision-making and critical thinking, Cherenson said.  

• Becoming a trusted counselor: PR practitioners are increasingly seeking training on how to more effectively counsel clients and the C-Suite.

Looking before you learn

When choosing a program, learn as much as you can about its features and strengths before you commit yourself. Here’s a checklist:

• What are the program’s qualifications and requirements? Cherenson cautions, “Be mindful of the rigor and challenge that the program demands. This holds just as true for certificates as it always has for diplomas.”  

• Does it fit your lifestyle and learning style? Be honest about your strengths, capabilities and preferences as a learner. Online learning can be more convenient, but it takes great personal discipline. 

For instance, Russell notes that while many online students find structured assignments manageable, once they begin projects without regularly imposed deadlines, such as those for formal projects, theses or dissertations, they struggle to finish in a timely manner. 

Also, suggested Garcia: “Consider whether you learn best when you’re interacting with other people. If so, then choose a program that allows you to learn with a community.”

• Who’s delivering the course? Pay attention to who’s delivering the content, Russell said. 

“If it’s faculty, what are their academic credentials and the currency of their knowledge to teach the specific courses assigned to them? Do they have the capability to guide you to meet academic requirements?” Russell said. 

Adds Garcia, “Also, check out the program to ensure that it includes practicing professionals and uses data such as industry or attendee surveys to keep the content current and relevant.”

• What’s the cost? It’s a good idea to include your employer in your thought process about cost. Nick Kalm, founder and CEO of public relations strategy firm Reputation Partners, explains that many employers, including his own firm, provide a stipend or pay for training, especially if it is training that teaches the employee about their industry.

• Do others feel the program was worth it? Kalm recommends talking to people who have received that same specific education. Ask them: “Was it worth it? Was it valuable? Was it better than other alternatives you considered? What did or didn’t the program offer that you needed and wanted?”

Value of experience

If you’re already employed, then there’s some wisdom in trying to complete a graduate degree or certificate program while you’re on the job. Taking time off your career to return to school cuts into the work experience you’re acquiring. If you then seek jobs with employers who primarily value work experience, you could be viewed as a less strong candidate. 

If now isn’t a good time to pursue a formal program, then volunteer your PR services. Seek new experiences on the job or find a mentor. 

“A good mentor can be the equivalent of having your own private professor,” Kalm said.

To keep pace with the changing world, communicators must stay curious and never stop learning.