Communications is an evolving, fast-paced, and exciting industry that Stephanie La Brie, a 2014 graduate of the Public Relations – Corporate Communications (CCPR) program has come to know well. Having been immersed in the field professionally for several years now, Stephanie has acquired a great deal of knowledge and expertise, with the CCPR program acting as a launchpad to learn the practical skills she uses in her career today.
“The hands-on, real-world experiences within the program are exceptional. I gained more usable work skills in the eight months of programming (and internship) at Centennial College than I did in any other education program,” she shares.
“Hosting real events with budgets, graphic designers and promotional elements, working collaboratively with teams of classmates to develop real proposals for clients, and bending your brain to develop a strategic communications plan all pushed me to be strategic, perceptive and action-oriented.”
Igniting the PR Spark
Looking back, Stephanie didn’t initially think she would pursue a career in this field. “If you were to tell me 15 years ago that I would be in Communications, I would have never believed you. I was determined to become a doctor to help save kids like my brother, who has Cerebral Palsy, and change the world,” she shares.
“This all changed once I hit third year in university, entered a kinesiology lab with human cadavers, and realized it wasn’t for me. I had a bit of an internal struggle on where I was headed until my friend was talking about a post-graduate program they were interested in called PR. I looked into it and was immediately intrigued.”
After doing some research, Stephanie says she thought, if I can’t change lives through practicing medicine, maybe I could help promote science through communications, and this is what led to her in pursuit of a career within the field she is in now. “Although it was a huge swing from biology and chemistry classes, it was not a huge pivot for me in terms of interests. As a teen, I was always interested in videos, photography, and social media,” she explains. “Combining this love of science with the creativity of communications and media was the best decision I ever made.”
She continues, “When I started looking into what a PR Program entailed, it fueled my excitement. Business essentials, design, social, strategy development, project management, creative writing – these courses were a breath of fresh air from my current world of labs and reports but played into those analytical skills very well.
Centennial College’s program was one of the top Corporate Communications and Public Relations graduate diplomas in Ontario at the time. When I walked into my interview with Barry Waite, he was so kind and friendly, and truly sold the program to me as an invaluable experience. He was right, and the program has opened so many doors for me.”
Lessons From the Program
Stephanie learned several key lessons from the CCPR program, as she shares,
“Listen. The instructors of the program are professionals in their fields and can give you the best insights into what lies ahead. Jennifer McNulty, who instructed the business course at the time, made business essentials interesting and engaging and pushed us outside of our box. It made such an impact on me that I now find the strategic part of communications to be the most fascinating.
Learn to love group work. My studies in university did not provide me with many opportunities for group work, so I struggled a bit at first with group projects. Looking back, group work is a core component of life as a communicator or public relations professional, as you rely on so many different stakeholders for everything. The sooner you find a way to work within a group dynamic, the sooner you will find your strengths.
Data is everything. Many people heading into communications avoid numbers like the plague, but it is essential in today’s climate to understand and action that data. The courses in the program around metrics and measurement will be instrumental in your future.
Don’t waste your internship. Don’t pick the “cool” option. Pick the internship that is going to give you lots of work, build your skills, and set up your career. If your internship doesn’t challenge you, you could miss out on amazing opportunities for your career.
From the CCPR Program to Now
Approaching nine years since graduating, Stephanie says that the program has been an integral part of everything she has done within past roles, as well as her current one.
“Lessons from strategic corporate communication development, project management and business essentials are tools that I utilize every day. The creative courses were also critical in my ability to bring ideas to life. Understanding how to work in diverse teams on complex projects has really been the core takeaway from the program though. Everyone brings something special to the table, and learning how to highlight the strengths of your team is key,” she says.
Her advice for those looking to find a career in the Communications industry? “Understand your working style and find environments that allow that style to flourish. If you like fast-paced and high energy, try agency work. If you like more rigid, structured processes, try government communications or education. Also, don’t feel like you can’t pivot at any moment. Your skills are transferrable.”
To find out more information about the CCPR program, be sure to check out the program’s FAQ page.