Bite Size Comms

A reflection on the Chartered Institute of Public Relations reaching 1,000 people who have passed the chartership assessment.

Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status exists because the CIPR is a Royal Chartered body, with its Charter granted in February 2005. That establishes the framework for individuals to be recognised as Chartered PR Practitioners, but public sources don’t name the first person to be chartered or give the exact date. It was around 2010, and the assessment required writing a substantial essay on an aspect of PR. Somewhere on my bookshelf, I have Stephen Waddington’s chartership essay, which he self-published.

Then, in late 2015, the assessment method changed to in-person group assessments. These were held at the CIPR’s former headquarters in London. I undertook the assessment in 2016, yes, ten years ago. It was a terrifying experience. We had to prepare for and discuss ethics, evaluation and strategy, if I remember correctly. That wasn’t a problem, as I had already taken the CIPR Diploma in 2010. What was scary was the competitive nature of the assessments. The assessors stopped my group and told us not to help each other. It wasn’t a discussion; we had to shine against the others. That is not my way of behaving. I did pass, though, and yes, my group took no notice of the assessors’ commands.

In 2020, the chartership assessments moved online and have remained so since. This means that international members and those in the UK living far from London can take part in an assessment. The topics have changed slightly, now covering ethics, leadership and strategy. The process is now much friendlier. The assessors, and I am one, will give every participant the opportunity to show their knowledge and experience. There is no competitive element. It is still assessed rigorously. Some people do fail. But it is a more enjoyable experience if you have prepared hard for the day.

This week, someone asked me whether they should sit the chartership assessment before completing the CIPR professional diploma. I said no. The knowledge gained from the diploma will definitely help with the chartership assessment. It is my personal view, not CIPR strategy, that professional development starts with qualifications. Practitioners then build on that with specific training and by completing Continuous Professional Development for some years. When a practitioner has reached a high level of knowledge and experience, that is the right time to undertake the chartership assessment. The cherry on top of the cake. And yes, I am proud to be one of the 1,000 who have completed the chartership assessment.