January 6, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Adam Kelley, PRCA State VP-Accreditation - 205/558-2947

PRCA TO HOST ACCREDITATION JUMPSTART CLASS ON Saturday, MARCH 12

MONTGOMERY – The Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) will sponsor an Accreditation JumpStart class on Saturday, March 12, at the First Baptist Church of Montgomery (305 South Perry Street) from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.

The event is free to all PRCA members and $15 for non-members. Breakfast, lunch and all course materials are provided for accreditation candidates. The class, a condensed version of a 12-week preparation course, is a must for PR practitioners planning to study independently for the accreditation exam. It is also a good introduction to the accreditation process for those who are interested but unsure whether to pursue accreditation at this time. To register contact Adam Kelley, PRCA vice president of accreditation, at adam.kelley@chsys.org or (205) 558-2947.

“This class is being held for the sole purpose to give practitioners who are considering pursuing accreditation the information they need to do it successfully,” Kelley said. “If someone is hesitant about pursuing accreditation or unsure of their experience or expertise in the field, this class will let them put their toes in the water to see what it’s like.”

The course is intended to serve as an introduction to the most fundamental areas addressed by the APR examination and provide advice about how to review the comprehensive curriculum. The class will cover:

-- Communication theory
-- Legal aspects – libel, privacy, copyright
-- Ethics
-- Research – types and applications
-- A comprehensive case study

Accreditation in Public Relations is a voluntary certification program for public relations professionals, administered by the Universal Accreditation Board. The purpose is to unify and advance the profession by identifying those who have demonstrated broad knowledge, experience and professional judgment in the field. The designation APR signifies a high professional level of experience and competence.  

Increasingly, job listings in the PR field are specifying APR preferred. Senior public relations professionals have been outspoken in support of Accreditation, yet less than 10 percent of PR practitioners in Alabama have attained the APR designation.

For more information, visit www.prcaonline.org. For directions, visit www.montgomeryfbc.org/directions.cfm.

-PRCA-