Students from BME backgrounds in the 16-18 year-old age range are more familiar than non-BME students with what a career in public relations entails, but are subsequently less likely to enter the communications industry.

The CIPR’s Diversity Working Group has sought to improve access to communications professions for hopefuls from minority backgrounds since 2010. It’s recent research into the perceptions of PR by 16-18 year olds has yielded somewhat surprising findings.

For one, family influence plays a role in career choice for 73% of students. Among BME students, that number jumps to 80%. This has given the CIPR some direction in reaching students to provide options regarding careers in PR. The Diversity Working Group has recommended providing resources and information for all stakeholders, including families, not only students.

CIPR CEO Jane Wilson says, “Young adults in education are very reluctant to choose public relations as a career because they simply do not know enough about the profession. To ensure that we are encouraging the best talent into our thriving industry those of us within the profession must ensure that students, parents and teachers have an improved understanding of the true meaning of public relations, and the value it can offer to our society.”

Additional recommendations included suggestions based on informing more students what careers in PR involve as a means to capitalising on the positive perceptions recorded in the survey among BME students.

To read more about diversity in PR, see the following links:

http://www.communicatemagazine.co.uk/news/4438-diversity-network-to-improve-access-to-pr-industry

http://www.communicatemagazine.co.uk/news/3940-cipr-announces-equal-access-network