Helping Workforce Development Professionals Be Media Savvy

N.C. Department of Commerce Hosts Media Relations Training

Nathan Ramsey,left,speaks to a crowded room during the Aug. 28 Media Relations Training session at the NCWorks Career Center in Conover. Photo credit: Beth Gargan"

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During the month of August,the North Carolina Department of Commerce held two training sessions aimed at better equipping workforce staff and leaders with media interaction.

The sessions took place August 28 at the NCWorks Career Center in Conover and on August 30 at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro.

Centralina Workforce Development Board Communications Coordinator Tyana Johnson and Centralina WDB NCWorks Career Center Leaders participated in the August 28 session in Conover.

During the August 28 session,NC Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Beth Gargan and Information and Communication Specialist Andrew Beal instructed attendees on understanding today’s media,a reporter’s need for a story,as well as the competitiveness of their profession and the pressures of having a deadline.

The session also shed light on:

• How to achieve a successful interview with a reporter by staying calm and in control.
• What to do in crisis communication and answering the tough questions that may be raised during the interview.
• How to reach out to the media when workforce staff have an event they want the media to promote.

"This training is important because it allows us to better serve our customers – the job seekers and employers." We could have a crisis situation and it is important to understand what to do before it happens," said Eric Cook,NCWorks Career Center-Stanly.

The six-hour session also featured two guest speakers - Guy Lucas,Editor and Publisher of the Lenoir News Topic and Nathan Ramsey,Executive Director of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board. Lucas and Ramsey answered questions and shared with attendees the best practices when interacting with reporters.

NCWorks Career Center- Mooresville Center Leader Sylvia Jones adds,"I learned that it is important to have a consistent message that needs to be delivered to all involved. The idea of keeping messages simple to being able to localize your message."

Marketing Consultants from APCO Worldwide educated the group on how to best utilize social media,knowing your audience and sharing the reasonability of keeping the pages current.

To connect with the Centralina WDB and learn how workforce development helps your community grow stronger every day,contact Tyana Johnson,Centralina WDB Communications Coordinator at tjohnson@centralina.org.

For more information about the events or media tips,contact Andrew Beal at andrew.beal@nccommerce.com.

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