Johannesburg, 7 March 2012 – Building on from the partnership success of 2011, global integrated communications agency Waggener Edstrom will continue to invest in students from the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) School of Communications in 2012.

The partnership will equip University of Johannesburg students with the latest tools and resources to enter the competitive field of PR and Communications.

By offering practical workshops at the university campus, Waggener Edstrom employee volunteers will mentor a group of high-performing students on topics that range from multi-media writing skills to social media trends. The aim is to assist interested and ambitious students develop their academic and professional careers in the field of PR and Communications beyond the lecture room and into the working world.

“Our partnership with Waggener Edstrom offers us the support of an industry leader that provides the students with practical, business expertise, positioning the curriculum within a real world context,” said Professor Sonja Verwey, head of the department of Strategic Communication. “The 2011 workshops were a huge benefit to our students; challenging them to think beyond the classroom and helping them develop a competitive edge in preparation for their first jobs.”

In addition to the mentorship programme, career skills workshops and collaboration on research projects, the partnership also offers students an internship at the agency to gain valuable hands-on experience of the industry.

“It’s extremely rewarding to work closely with the University of Johannesburg to improve the skills of the next generation of communications professionals,” says Marcus Sorour, general manager, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide South Africa. “It’s crucial for the communications industry and the South African economy that graduates succeed when they enter the workforce and we hope this programme will continue to provide these students with practical skills to hone the tools of their trade”.

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide is a full-service, global communications agency, specialising in Digital Communications, Consumer Marketing, Corporate Communications, Healthcare, Public Affairs, Social Innovation and Technology. For more than 25 years, Waggener Edstrom has worked with some of the world’s leading agents of change — a range of pioneering companies, organisations and individuals who have led the world in new directions. 2010 marked the arrival of Waggener Edstrom in Africa, where technology clients and social causes such as Microsoft, Cisco, Samsung Africa, Kingston Technology, SYSPRO and One Young World have chosen the agency to give voice to their ideas and innovations.

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) was established in 2005. UJ’s mission is to provide quality education, leading, challenging, creating and exploring knowledge; supporting access to a wide spectrum of academic, vocational and technological teaching, learning and research– where partnerships with its communities is valued, contributing to national objectives regarding skills development and economic growth. The Department of Strategic Communication is the biggest department within the School of Communication. Going forward, the Department is developing a degree programme in Strategic Communication. This program will reflect the convergence that is currently emerging in terms of both theory and practice between corporate and marketing communication, and will incorporate the growing need for a strategic approach to communication management within these contexts.