GRADUATES are set to face the toughest job hunt in 20 years but O Communications is continuing its commitment to young talent. Despite reports that thousands of graduate level jobs have been cut in the last year, award winning O Communications has pledged to carry on investing in graduates. As part of the company’s commitment to young talent, owner and managing director Kari Owers has continued to offer budding public relations professionals the opportunity to complete internships, which could lead to full graduate training programmes.
She said: “We offer internships as they are a fantastic way to prepare undergraduates for the world of work, whilst giving us a new talent stream for the business. With changes in PR such as the onset of social media, it is also often young people that are bringing new ideas into the company that can have sound commercial sense.
“I look for commitment and a passionate attitude when I recruit, and all too often a graduate leaves entering a workplace for the first time until they have their graduation cap in their hand. By opening our doors to an annual intern, and a series of short placements, I hope to be able to give some local young people the added edge on their CV when they come to job-hunting.”
Jerri Murtagh, 22, who joined O Communications full time after graduating from Sunderland University last summer, said: “I began working at O Communications after seeing a poster asking for a PR student to work part-time during the final year of their degree. It was a great opportunity to be their first intern as it is often hard to find an ongoing placement while studying.
“I was delighted when I was asked to join the agency full-time on the graduate training scheme when I graduated, which will see me fast tracked to an Account Executive position.”
Janelle Hardacre, 19, has recently joined the team part-time whilst studying for her degree at Newcastle University. She said: “I am so happy to have the opportunity of an internship at O Communications. I really want to work in PR after I graduate and seeing how far some of their team have developed their careers after leaving university is great motivation.
“I would advise every undergraduate to do some kind of work experience as you learn so much about working in a professional environment and it makes you much more employable in the future.”
O Communications was named the CIPR silver North East Outstanding Consultancy of the Year at Pride Awards 2008 and ‘One of 10 to Watch’ in the UK creative scene by The Drum magazine in January 2009. The Ouseburn-based agency specialises in PR and brand communications, social media campaigns and events.
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