A whole new world

By STACY HUDSON

North Idaho College

In a fast-paced, ever-changing world of technology, social networks and globalization, public relations is more important than ever for organizations needing to manage their most precious resource. No, not money. Reputation.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates summed it up when he said: “If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on PR.”

From humble beginnings primarily serving political propaganda and “spin,” public relations has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, with a public relations manager/information officer at the table of most top-level administrations responsible for everything from media relations and crisis management, to marketing and consumer relations.

In Idaho, the occupation is expected to grow much faster than other careers, with 37.8 percent job growth for public relations specialists expected over the next 10 years, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. Public relations specialists with a bachelor’s degree earn an average wage of $58,926 per year. IDOL also reports that with five years of experience on top of the bachelor’s degree, public relations managers earn an average of $69,034 per year and that field is expected to grow 42 percent.

In response to this demand, North Idaho College added the Public Relations program in 2013. NIC Journalism Instructor Geoff Carr moved the degree emphasis forward at NIC based on the major’s popularity at his previous institution, Georgia Southern University. He estimated that 75 percent of his Introduction to Journalism students there sought a public relations degree. When he researched NIC’s transfer institutions, he found the University of Idaho awarded an average of 20 journalism degrees a year since 2001-2002. In the same time period, they averaged 43 public relations degrees a year. In addition, numerous other Idaho and Washington universities offer public relations degrees that share many common courses with their journalism counterparts.

NIC student Emily Kinsella was a business major and had recently switched to English to tap into her affinity for writing when she saw the program flier for the Public Relations program.

“Knowing I have strengths in writing and speaking, I had always considered the possibility of a role in communication in some capacity,” Kinsella said. “When I learned NIC offered such a specific program, I just felt like it was the perfect place for me. There hasn’t been a day that I’ve regretted that choice… I feel like I have found where I belong for the first time in nearly three years at NIC.”

In order to take the Introduction to Public Relations course at NIC, strong writing skills are required, therefore students must complete Introduction to Media Writing first, along with other prerequisites. The connection between journalism and public relations might not be obvious to some, but Carr said it became abundantly clear when researching other institutions while developing the Public Relations degree program at NIC.

“Most PR students don’t recognize how important writing skills are to succeed in the field,” Carr said. “PR’s much more than having an outgoing personality.” This requirement has snagged some perspective public relations students at NIC who try to enroll in Intro to Public Relations when it’s offered in the spring, only to find they do not meet the necessary prerequisite. Students must enroll in COMJ-121 (Introduction to Media Writing) in their first semester so that they are free to take Intro to Public Relations Spring Semester.

“Public Relations continues to attract more and more students interested in a viable career path after college,” Carr said. “We want to make it as easy as possible for our students to succeed in this field.”

Kinsella said that learning about strategic communications, reputation management, public opinion and crisis communications has helped her in her current job as an adventure consultant for ROW Adventures in Coeur d’Alene.

“Professionally, crisis management is a huge part of my job at times, and I have had the opportunity to employ some of the PR skills I’ve learned,” she said. “The difference in how I used to handle a situation is apparent, and it’s helped me maintain my professionalism when faced with a crisis, whether it’s mild or very serious. My writing skills also continue to improve, as I learn to sharpen my message and convey information in a more direct, no-nonsense fashion. There is quite literally no part of my job that hasn’t or won’t benefit from my PR training.”

Kinsella added that her training in public relations at North Idaho College has affected more than just her professional skill set – it has affected her everyday life.

“I feel like I’m continually learning new skills to help me communicate more clearly and effectively in my interpersonal relationships,” Kinsella said. “Instead of dancing around things that may be uncomfortable, I save a lot of time just being direct.”

Part of the appeal of the field of public relations is that it transcends all sectors: private and public, for-profit and non-profit and across the industries of health care, education, business, finance, government and many more.

After completing her degree at NIC, Kinsella plans to transfer to a four-year university to reach a bachelor’s degree in public relations in hopes of becoming a public relations practitioner for a tourism or social justice agency. For more information about the Public Relations program at North Idaho College, contact Geoff Carr at (208) 769-3228 or geoff.carr@nic.edu.

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Public relations at North Idaho College

Two-year program Associate of Arts Degree Courses in communications, advertising, media writing, public relations and photography. Apply now! www.nic.edu/apply or visit www.nic.edu/programs for more information.

Public Relations Career at a Glance Nationally Job Growth: 6 percent through 2024 for public relations specialists; 7 percent for public relations managers Median Wage: Public relations specialists $56,770 per year (median); public relations managers (five years or more experience) $101,140 per year (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2016-2017 Edition)

Idaho Job Growth: 37.8 percent for public relations specialists over the next 10 years; 42 percent for public relations managers Median Wage: Public relations specialists earn an average wage of $58,926 per year (median); public relations managers average $69,034 per year

— Idaho Department of Labor