Internships have become an important component of talent development in a growing number of industries. The challenge, however, is ensuring that there are sufficient placement opportunities for students.
New research from the Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA) Africa Member Agency Internship Programme Survey found that only a quarter of PR students managed to secure agency internships in 2023 due to a lack of available internships.
Most PR agencies offer internships which provide structured training programmes, with 82% offering opportunities for interns to transition into permanent roles. Not only do internships provide interns with valuable work experience, they are also a critical talent pipeline for agencies.
PRCA Africa advocates for agencies to pay their interns and says it is against the practice of labelling interns as volunteers in order to sidestep this responsibility. “While unpaid internships may seem like a short-term financial gain for agencies, they devalue the PR industry’s expertise and reputation in the long run. It is unjust to expect young professionals to work for free and agencies should be prepared to compensate interns fairly for their contributions.”
In addition to highlighting the benefits and strengths of internship programmes in the PR industry, the report also highlights the challenges and areas for improvement. For their part, interns have requested improved onboarding, clearer communication of learning objectives and exposure to more diverse client work. Some interns reported leaving internship programmes early due to career misalignment or unmet expectations.
Agencies, on the other hand, highlighted a gap between academic theory and the practical demands of PR professionals, suggesting stronger collaboration with educational institutions to align coursework with industry expectations.
The report recommends that PR agencies and tertiary institutions work closely together to improve internship programmes to ensure interns get the practical experience they need for real-world PR roles.
The full reports can be accessed here PRCA Africa Agency Internship Programme Report and here PRCA Africa Intern Experience Report.
The big take-out: PR agencies and tertiary institutions need to work closely together to improve internship programmes to ensure interns get the practical experience they need for real-world PR roles.
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