Institute launches new training to hone journalists

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Institute launches new training to hone journalists
Institute launches new training to hone journalists

Africa-Press – Tanzania. A NEWLY established Institute of Public Relations in Tanzania (IPRT) has announced its ambitious move to provide training on customised strategic communication and leadership.

The training targets senior executives, communications officers, Human Resource personnel as well as officers at corporate levels.

Making the revelation in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, IPRT Training Coordinator, Mr Evarist Ngalimuwili during its launch in the city, attended by representatives from different institutions, said the idea to introduce the course was driven mainly by a widening gap in conflicts in the society, which emanate from lack of strategic communication and leadership.

He further said that IPRT will work with high reputable local and international institutions such as the Daystar University of Kenya and veterans in the media and leadership to facilitate the courses.

“While the courses will initially be open for communication officers as well as all officers at corporate levels, the plan is to eventually make this service available to journalists from media companies, including those wishing to become media practitioners from higher learning institutions.’’ he added.

Mr Ngalimuwili noted that the trainings have come at a time when the quality of communication and leadership among officers at all levels in many offices has declined.

“The courses on offer currently include communication and strategic communication programmes for organisations staff such as Corporate Communication, Crisis Management, Brand Management, Effective Communication, Personal Communication and organisation communication as well as a range of courses that focus on producing quality communication skills,” he pointed out.

Elaborating, the Training Coordinator said to ensure specific industries and economic sectors’ stories are communicated the right way, the institute has also organised trainings for journalists in a number of areas such as Financial statement analysis, Court reporting, Sports reporting and analysis.

His list also included Extractive industry (Mining, oil and gas), Agriculture and Livestock, Banking and Insurance, Health (medical reporters), Environmental Reporting and Blue Economy (Ocean, lakes, rivers, fishing, marine travel, and tourism).

“The aim is to empower local journalists with the right skills so as to ensure stories based on specific industries and economic sectors are told the right way.

“…so Journalists will undergo a foundation programme on the respective area which will equip them with the skills and knowledge for proper reporting,” he added, while mentioning that the foundation programmes will be run under involvement of professional and experts from the relevant sector as well as apex bodies.

To disseminate accurate and reliable information in the areas of Public Relations, Corporate and Marketing Communications, Leadership and Governance, the institute is further set to introduce a new Public Relations (PR) professional standard magazine named Reputation Today that is positioned to become the leading professional brand magazine in the whole of Tanzania.

Commenting on the move, the Executive Secretary of the Tanzania Chamber Mining (TCM) Engineer Benjamin Mchwampaka said the advent of the strategy has come at a time, when the nation needs to have competent writers in various strategic areas including in the mining area so that the information provided is productive for the public.

“As stakeholders in the mining industry we are deeply touched by the advent of this training not only for our communication as an institution, but also for the journalists in the country. The mining industry involves huge investments so even the preparation of its information requires great care and professionalism. The presence of well-trained writers to report on mining information will help us a lot as a nation,” he said.

On his part, Mwananchi Communications Limited Managing Director Bakari Machumu said the move would be important for journalists and all communicators to continue learning throughout their careers and lives.

He added, “It will help them develop new ways of doing things in a fast-paced industry…so much is changing in this industry of ours that it often seems that we have to play catch-up all the time.”

Mr Machumu further said the programme will be a key component of the country’s PR and communication development and retention efforts.

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