Notes from a short speech

[Here are my notes and links for a short welcome talk to first year PR students]

Congratulations etc.

This is a great time to be studying public relations.

1. Private sector recession followed by public sector cuts
2. Good time to be at university before fees rise and/or places contract
3. You'll be studying a young and fast-developing area (trade publication PR week has just celebrated its 25th anniversary)

Public relations is now a high profile business (in the last century, it was invisible alongside journalism and advertising, say). But is this high profile necessarily a good thing?

Back to reality... There are opportunities out there for those who can study, work hard, gain experience and keep on learning. 

Look how Leeds Met PR graduate Graeme Anthony is trying to find an opening in London. He's using his skills and creativity to do some personal public relations. 

And three Leeds Met PR gradutes from 2007 have just been shortlisted for Outstanding Young Communicator Awards in the CIPR PRide awards: Katherine Shenton (photo) in the North East; Amy Bullard and Lorna Gott in East Anglia.