The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has published its Strategy for 2020-2024. This includes a Vision that sees a commitment to lifelong learning as a key element of creating a sustainable profession, building a community of professional peers and ensuring that public relations is understood and valued.

Knowledge management is positioned as supporting the development of professional practice – with the appointment of a knowledge management consultant to begin the renewal of published professional practice guidance.

It is my professional and personal pleasure to have been appointed to fulfil the role as CIPR Knowledge Management Consultant.

Heather Yaxley PhD FCIPR

I love that CIPR acknowledges that “PR is an open profession – one without barriers to entry” and it recognises the strengths and opportunities that this offers.

Public relations is enriched by the variety of routes and backgrounds that bring people to work in it. As an occupation, its structural elasticity supports flexibility in career development.

I argued in my PhD thesis that contemporary career designs represent the experiences of public relations practitioners. Yet, the language and theories evident in talking about careers tend to reflect ideas developed in the 20th century. My research showed this influences how PR practitioners make sense of their career experiences. It also impacts on career mobility, especially in relation to diversity and inclusion.

The top-quality knowledge resources made available by CIPR to its members and the wider occupation need to support lifelong learning across four generations. They have to offer layers of knowledge to facilitate development of the highest standards of competence (skills) and competencies (behaviours) across a complex and dynamic profession.

Within a changing world of work/life experiences, learning opportunities need to be purpose-driven, enabling professional and personal development of individuals and teams. Knowledge transfer has to be evidence-informed, accessible and deliver tangible outcomes.

Knowledge management supports the development of sustainable professional practice.

Heather Yaxley PhD FCIPR

I am looking forward to working with everyone at CIPR, the wider membership, my existing networks of contacts and the many other people that I know will be supportive.