It’s Nice to be Important...but it’s more Important to be Nice

Travel opens your mind up to places you never knew existed. I love looking at all the buildings, landscapes, landmarks and tourist attractions, but what I love the most about travelling; is the people I met, the friendships that I formed and the different cultures I got to immerse myself in. Each person I met is like a teacher passing down their life experiences, and in turn, their knowledge onto me. For me, I learnt so much about the world around me by talking to many different people from all corners of the globe. Not only did I meet people from the countries I visited, but met people from other countries visiting the same places I was. I met a few people from Israel, and it was interesting to hear their views on their countries own politics and gave me a better understanding about the situation, that wasn’t what the media told me. Learning about everyone’s different situations and what they’ve accomplished in their lives and what they’ve had to battle through, inspires me to want to be a better person and be all that I can be.

I loved South America and all the different cultures and I hope to return there in the near future. When I was in Peru, I did the Inca Trail with a tour company known as GAP Adventures. Some of the money we pay towards the tour goes to help Peruvian women. They have not just given the women money, but have provided them with tools and supplies to make clothing, blankets, jewellery etc to sell and make their own money. This means that they don’t have to rely on their husbands for support. It was great knowing that I had made a difference to these women’s lives.

When I was in Quito, I met a group of Swedish friends that were teaching English to children. They got to help educate children, understand some of the backgrounds of disadvantaged children and were able to learn Spanish all at the same time. They got to do this, while immersing themselves into a whole new country. I plan to do 3 months there doing the same thing within the next couple of years.

I want to return to different parts of South America and indeed the world to really help people that have not been given the same opportunities as I have. I guess I feel strongly about helping women and to make sure they are treated correctly and have access to a good education. This will ensure they have a good quality of life and are equal to the males of society. In some cultures women are not even allowed to attend school. This backwards thinking is changing, but it still needs a lot of work. I don’t want to change people’s cultures and westernise everybody, but I want everyone around the world to be happy, healthy and have access to clean drinking water: Things we take for granted!

For now though, I have just got involved with a not-for-profit organisation known as RideAid (http://www.rideaid.net) and I am helping to organise a "lapathon" with school children to help raise money for the cause. There are many reasons that I have got involved, of course the first one is to help the children in Cambodia. However I have also got involved to learn about the many different aspects of organising an event, especially one that it is for a not-for-profit organisation. This will help me to learn more about PR, Event Management etc while I’m studying. I will keep you updated on the progress.

I think it’s very important to keep learning and I think the best way is not just reading books, but to jump head first into life, be open to everyone, their thoughts and ideas and embrace everything this amazing world has to offer!

I’ve got the Skills to Pay the Bills

On the resume of a future employee, a degree might look good in writing. Qualifications are regarded highly on a resume; it shows commitment and achievement in the subject. However in the workforce, experience is regarded higher and many university students find themselves unable to find a job, because they lack experience. While also showing commitment and achievement in a subject, TAFE gives students the skills expected in the industry, which they don’t receive with their university qualifications.

I’m studying a diploma of Public Relations at Central TAFE in Perth. Currently we are organising several campaigns that are real, as in we are going to achieve real results. These will be examples we can show to our future employer that say “I achieved this, we relaunched the Lectures Social Club and it is still alive and running today.”

While I’m on the subject of lecturers, the lecturers at TAFE have all been amazing. They have come from different sides of the world and with a lot of experience from a lot of different industries and they have all been willing to pass on their experiences to help all students to learn.

Having to incorporate work experience into the degree is also very advantageous for the PR students and all students studying at TAFE, as it gives them the chance to see their selected industry in action. Unfortunately I think university is based around the theory and teaching you everything you need to know in writing to be prepared. Until you’re actually doing the job, you can never fully comprehend it. Take learning to drive for instance. You could be given all the information there is on how to drive, but until you actually get into a car and drive on the road, you can’t know what it is really like and how to do it perfectly.

What it comes down to though, is practice. Practicing driving or practicing how to be a PR Practitioner, whether you have a degree or a diploma, in five years time, your resume will show one section stating your qualifications and several sections stating your skills and your responsibilities you have carried out. Through doing these campaigns, this diploma would have already given me skills and responsibilities that I have carried out. A degree may give me more details in theory, but I would have already applied them in real life when I finish my diploma.

Confessions of a Virgin Blogger

So for the past week, I have been trying to write my first blog entry. I’ve tried to be witty and funny and I have tried to think of things that would stand out from the crowd. I’ve wanted to write something that people will read and enjoy and ultimately begin to like this stranger behind the words. Then I thought about it some more. This is my blog and I’ll write what I want in any way I choose, because that’s what blogging is all about. So feel free to read, agree, disagree and comment on my entries about Public Relations and the influence that this field has in our society.

So where to begin? I’ve started back at Central TAFE many moons after first being here fresh faced and straight out of school. I left after completing my Certificate IV and have worked various jobs mostly for Western Areas: A WA Mining Company. Last year I travelled the world, but in the end I have brought myself back to this place and back to Public Relations. Have I missed it? Of course I have and it does feel good to be back, even if it is different?  It’s not a bad different, just a new lecturer, new class mates, new way of doing the course, new programmes. I feel clumsily fresh again, but I’m sure I will get the hang of it. I love communicating, I find the media so interesting and the control it can have on an issue. I'm obsessed with advertising and  promoting and I am always taking pictures of advertisements I like, even when I was travelling. So what better way to cover all my interests than with PR.

So what do I want at the end of this semester? My piece of A4 paper that shows that I did it…and of course, all that knowledge that goes along with it. I hope I get the practical knowledge and that Industry knowledge I expect from TAFE and I am looking forward to doing work experience for a real company and in a real environment and then being more prepared than the other second year students at University. Yes I would like to take that piece of paper to Curtain University and use it to get into one of their communication courses, the precise one, I’m not too sure of yet, but I will look seriously into it now and I will know soon enough. After completing my degree, I will receive another piece of paper and then I will take these two pieces of paper across the world for an endless amount of possibilities. I would like to be involved in the music industry or where there is music featured, so with that gigantic field the possibilities are endless.  Right now though, I just want to focus on the next 6 months, it’s going to be tough so please wish me luck!