The PRCA PR Internships & Apprenticeships Awards seek to improve standards and celebrate excellence in PR internships and apprenticeships, and for the interns and apprentices themselves.
There are five categories in total: Best Intern, Best Apprentice, Best Internship Programme, Best Apprenticeships Employer and Mentor of the Year.
How to enter:
The deadline for entries is Wednesday, 17th July 2024.
Entries must be submitted and paid for via the awards platform by 23:59 on Wednesday, 17th July 2024.
Winners will be announced at a drinks reception ceremony in London on Wednesday 6th September 2024.
Entry fee: £95 + VAT for PRCA members / £160 + VAT for non-members
Mentor of the Year category: Free for PRCA members to enter / £50 + VAT for non-members to enter
Categories:
Mentor of the Year
Coaches and Mentors play a vital role helping to shape and guide apprentices and interns on their development journey. This award is for an individual who has supported and inspired either an apprentice or intern during the first steps in their PR career. Mentors can include an apprentice coach, line manager, or someone within the industry that has contributed to the individual's development. Nominations can be made for any mentors who have supported an individual between 1st May 2023 and 13th May 2024. Nominations can be submitted by the intern, apprentice, or the manager. To nominate someone for this category, the entry must be no more than 600 words in length and outline:
- How the mentor has had a positive impact on their development
- Examples of commitment and dedication shown
- Any examples of how they have gone 'above and beyond' to support the individual.
Best Intern
To enter an intern for this category, the intern must complete an outline of their internship which should be no more than 600 words in length. The intern’s line manager is also required to complete a 300-word endorsement. Entries are open to anyone who interned between 1st May 2023 and 13th May 2024 and they do not need to currently be an intern. Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Enthusiasm and dedication
- Innovative and creative approach to their role
- Contribution to team morale and ethos
- Ownership of projects
Remember: all interns must be paid the Living Wage or London Living Wage in order to be entered for this award
Best Apprentice
To enter an apprentice for this category, the apprentice must outline their apprenticeship (including their day to day job and coursework). This should be no more than 600 words in length. The apprentice’s line manager or assessor is also required to complete a 300-word endorsement. Entries are open to anyone who is/was an apprentice between 1st May 2023 and 13th May 2024, they do not need to currently be an apprentice. Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Enthusiasm and dedication
- Innovative and creative approach to their role
- Contribution to team morale and ethos
- Ownership of projects (at work and their coursework)
- Must stay within 20% of target progress throughout their programme and provide evidence of this.
Remember: all apprentices must be paid the national minimum wage for their age in order to be entered for this award.
Best Internship Programme
Both PR agencies and in-house team may enter by providing an outline of their internship programme, which should be no more than 600 words in length. This will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Programme planning and structure
- Support the activities the interns have engaged in
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Retention and evaluation
Remember: all internships must pay the Living Wage or London Living Wage in order to be entered for this award
The entry may be accompanied by a testimonial from current or past interns, which should be no longer than 300 words.
Best Apprenticeship Employer
Both PR agencies and in-house team may enter by providing an outline of their apprenticeship programme, which should be no more than 600 words in length. This will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Integrated programme planning and structure (which includes additional off the job training for apprentices)
- Support the activities the apprentices have engaged in
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Retention and evaluation
Remember: employers must pay their apprentices the national minimum wage for their age in order to be entered for this award
The entry may be accompanied by a testimonial from current/past apprentices and mentor(s) which should be no longer than 300 words.
Entries must be submitted and paid for via the awards platform by 23:59 on Wednesday, 17th July 2024.
If you have any questions, please email Internshipsawards@prca.org.uk.
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2023 Winners:
Best Apprentice
- Leon Soyinka Sinden, Government Communication Service (GCS)
Best Apprenticeship Employer
- Government Communication Service (GCS)
Best Intern
- Semilore Orekoya, Transport for London
Best Internship Programme
- Highly commended: FTI Consulting
- Winner: WPR
Mentor of the Year
- Deborah Low, The PR Office