C&F Porter Novelli blazes trail in PR internships

C&F Porter Novelli, Nigeria’s leading business advisor in strategic communications, has graduated the historic first batch of its PR Fundamentals Internship Programme.

The initiative aims to contribute to the growth and development of the public relations industry in Nigeria by annually creating a pool where talented individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in public relations can be identified and engaged by PR Firms. The programme takes selected interns through a 12-month period of paid apprenticeship involving both classroom work and exposure to every facet of public relations.

The programme, which commenced in February 2011, involved a selection process. Of the over 230 applicants, four were shortlisted and inducted for the internship. Speaking while presenting certificates to the graduating interns at the Homegate Resort in Lekki, Nn’emeka Maduegbuna, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of C&F Porter Novelli, said:

“Nigeria is suffering a deficit of Public Relations talent making it difficult to both staff and to develop the industry. There is a need to foster a pool of talented and innovative individuals who can be identified and engaged by the Public Relations industry. The annual internship programme seeks to help develop talent and generate thought leadership on growing the industry.”

Accolades have trailed this initiative as stakeholders in the Public Relations industry have commended the initiative. C&F Porter Novelli also received international recognition for pioneering this programme when its international network partners of the firm, Porter Novelli, listed the PR Fundamentals Internship Programme among its ‘Most Innovative Initiatives for the Year 2011’.

The company’s Head of the Human Resources, Victoria Nwoji, expressed satisfaction that the objectives of the initiative have been achieved.  “This programme was designed to take care of the deficiency of talents in our industry,” she said. “They are supposed to become the next generation of well-trained PR professionals for the industry. With their graduation, these candidates will get their certificates and can work at any PR agency they choose. We can also absorb some of them if the room exists.”

Speaking after she received her certificate, Busola Olujemisin, one of the graduating interns, said she the programme a very educative, as well as enjoyable one; especially as she had to implement PR strategies prepared by the company for a variety of the clients in the agency’s wide portfolio.

“I have enjoyed working on all the accounts because it has pushed me out of my comfort zone; working not just in Marketing but through the Corporate and Public

Affairs disciplines of Public Relations means gaining a wider understanding of PR than what normally transpires” she said. “My internship programme has been quite engaging. I have learnt things and done things I normally wouldn’t be able to do before I joined C&F Porter Novelli.”

Given the success of this programme, C&F Porter Novelli has also announced call-for-applications for the 2012 edition of the PR Fundamentals Internship Programme.