As of May 1, 2019, Black Gold officially welcomed its first two interns. These interns are communications students majoring in public relations at Mount Royal University (MRU), preparing to enter into the fourth year of their degree. Black Gold welcomed the opportunity to provide the students with industry training while also benefiting from the student’s skill sets and creating a communications team for the summer
The PR program
As part of the public relations program, MRU requires all students to fulfill a four-month internship between their third and fourth year. The purpose of this internship is to expose students to different communication opportunities and sectors of public relations. This provides students with the experience they will need to be successful in their post-graduate career and the chance to understand the areas of PR they may later choose to explore.
What is PR?
“Public relations is the strategic management of relationships between an organization and its diverse publics, through the use of communication to achieve mutual understanding, realize organizational goals and serve the public interest” – CPRS.
Public relations can take the shape of various forms of communication. The focus of the field is to form relationships with and between clients, organizations and public audiences that will foster mutual gain and provide voice to all parties.
Why did Black Gold choose to participate?
Before the start of their internship, the two interns had already been employees of the company. When their internship was approaching, Black Gold decided to provide both students with a focused position that would allow them to experience PR in a professional sense while establishing an official communications department within the company for the first time.
What will the communications team do?
The interns are a part of a communications team mentored by Shona Belvoir, BGGoPlan’s technology manager. In this position, the interns get the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects, both internally and externally. Make sure to look for their work and efforts showcased on our social media accounts – Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
