All you need to know about working in the education and skills sector

Education and skills is one of the most vibrant and diverse sectors in which to work if you are a communications professional. You could putting together a student recruitment campaign for a further education college one minute, then talking to a TV news channel about a new piece of university research, managing an open day for a school, helping with a fundraising drive for a literacy charity, or advising government ministers on how to get their messages across. The sector isn’t just about universities, colleges and schools. It covers government departments and agencies, awarding bodies, training companies, e-learning businesses, charities and social enterprises. 

What skills and knowledge do people need to work in this sector, whether they are specialists in corporate communications, marketing, public relations, stakeholder engagement, media relations or internal communications? 

One view held by some is that there is a set of core communication skills which are easily transferable across different sectors, from fashion and retail, to health and financial services. These skills including social media management, digital communications, content creation, writing and editing, media relations and much more. But how easy would it be for someone with a background in marketing or public relations in the entertainment industry to take those skills into a very different sector such as education and skills?

At a tactical level the basic communication skills, such as media relations, content creation, managing social media channels and event management, do not differ significantly from sector to sector. But the political context is what makes a difference. Anyone wanting to work in education, for instance, needs to immerse themselves in the issues affecting schools, colleges, universities, regulators, government and the wider sector.

Luke Budka, Head of Digital PR and SEO at Topline Comms, says what sets education and skills apart from many other sectors is the diversity of its audiences. “You could be dealing with governments, education agents, local authorities, a client’s employees and students (both domestic and international) at the same time,” he says. “Considering the impact on each one of these groups and the best way to communicate with them is challenging. Putting pressure on the Department for Education, for instance, may require national press representation, whilst communicating with Generation Z could involve leveraging the latest social platforms.”

The sector is particularly sensitive to changes in the political landscape and it’s important that communication professionals understand that. New Ofsted guidelines, for instance, can have far- reaching implications on schools. Further education colleges may be vulnerable to financial crises. And universities are having to deal with sensitive issues such as diversity, safe spaces and the potential loss of income from a perfect storm of Brexit, Covid-19 and worsening relationships with China. This means that it’s not enough just to know about the product (the education offer), unless you are content to remain in a purely tactical communications role. As a result, the skills that are at a premium at the moment are reputation management, crisis communications are stakeholder engagement. 

There is variation in the way that different organisations in the sector handle their communications. Even though the product (education) is similar, schools, colleges, universities and other organisations manage things in very different ways. Few schools (with the exception of multi-academy trusts) are likely to have a qualified PR or marketing person. These functions may well be performed by the school’s business manager or through an external agency. In further education colleges the emphasis is on marketing and student recruitment. In universities the communication functions are likely to be split into student recruitment, marketing, branding, stakeholder engagement, research, media relations, social media and internal communications. Independent training providers tend to have a specific sales focus, so any communications support is geared to commercial outcomes.

Yet, despite the diversity of the sector, there are commonalities. “You need to develop your personas, understand their pain points, how they want to be communicated with and use that information as the foundation of your strategy,” says Luke Budka. “It doesn’t matter if you’re influencing 16-year-old GCSE students or a 60-year-old chief executive. You need to tell an interesting story through the right channels to get traction.”

Advice on working in the education and skills sector.

This applies to people wanting to work in the sector as those already in communications roles.

• Immerse yourself in the issues affecting the sector. You need to really understand the wider education environment and be alert to potential reputation issues. Read the education media. Check government websites. The more you know about the issues affecting an organisation the better equipped you’ll be to spot that piece of government legislation that may have a fantastic or catastrophic impact.  

• Make a list of stakeholders. For a further education college it could be existing students, potential students, parents, teachers, governors, community groups, local businesses, government and funding agencies. Then decide what are the most suitable communication channels to use to reach them and what messages you want them to hear.

• Do a risk analysis. The sector as a whole is very vulnerable to reputation damage, crisis communications is likely to be needed at some stage. This certainly applies now during the coronavirus crisis, but could involve dealing with negative media coverage over financial mismanagement or an abuse of social media.
• Be aware of sensitivities. Some academics are very nervous about talking to the media for fear of dumbing down or their research being distorted. You also need to be aware of issues about language, particularly in areas such as disability, gender and race. Some school staff are suspicious of terms like ‘marketing’ or ‘public relations’ as they see them diverting attention away from their real business – teaching. Use those terms with caution or show how they can boost student recruitment.
• Transferable skills can be useful. Some schools have specifically asked for commercial experience in job advertisements for heads of marketing or communications. If you are applying for a job sector experience may not be essential providing you can demonstrate you have shared values with the organisation.

• And finally … Don’t assume that education and skills is a soft option. It can be a very demanding area in which to work but also an incredibly rewarding one. I have spent some 20 years working in the sector, in colleges, universities, awarding bodies, charities and quangos. I have loved every minute and still do.