Using CIPR resources to kickstart my PR and Marketing career

I started my role as a PR and Marketing Assistant straight out of university, with a degree in journalism. Writing has always been a skill I wanted to incorporate into my career, but I was looking for something more fast-paced – leading me to a B2B tech agency.

Working for the marketing and PR agency requires much more than my previous experience in journalism. It demands quick thinking, the ability to adopt different clients’ tones of voice, and strategic application of ideas. The agency onboarding process was highly beneficial for developing these skills but I’ve also leveraged the resources available on the CIPR website to further support my growth.

What is the CIPR?

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) provides formal guidelines and training for PR practitioners in the UK. Grammatik is a corporate member of CIPR so upon joining their resources became available to me. Utilising them was essential when I started my career, as it provided clear structures for ethical and professional conduct. One notable section, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), encourages PR professionals to earn points towards becoming an Accredited Practitioner, which is achieved after two continuous cycles of 60 points each.

The CPD section offers training resources ranging from PDF Skills Guides to podcasts, each covering different aspects of PR. These resources are constantly updated to include contemporary topics such as diversity in communications and mobile content creation.

Enriching PR Skills

Access to these training resources has enabled me to explore areas of PR that were previously unfamiliar – from basic skills like writing press releases to more complex strategies such as effectively harnessing influencer marketing.

Most of my points focused on technical writing, a style I was not accustomed to before joining Grammatik. This experience taught me the importance of being an industry expert and how to streamline my tone of voice.

Although I’ve completed the 2024/25 CIPR cycle, my training is far from over, nor should it be for anyone in the field, regardless of experience level. Staying on top of the latest developments, trends, and insights is vital, especially when working agency-side. Ultimately, we strive to deliver the best work possible for clients, and frequent upskilling is key to achieving this.

Interested in how Grammatik delivers best-practice PR for clients? Check out our work page.

Written by Hannah Barrett, PR and Marketing Assistant