General Motors Summer '09 Communications Internships

Please note this excellent opportunity from General Motors for Summer ’09 Internships. Years ago, I was a GM intern, working in the communications department of Delco Moraine, GM’s brake division in Dayton, Ohio. Moving allowance and housing are provided; alert me asap if you’re applying! One position even includes helping to develop communications strategy for the new GM Volt Electric car.

Prof. Scott Jackson
lscottjackson@ccny.cuny.edu

Dear NBPRS* Chapter Presidents,

GM is currently accepting resumes for the Communications Summer Internship Program. If possible and appropriate, I'd like to promote to this opportunity to the student members of NBPRS. Any assistance you can lend to helping solicit resumes for GM communications internships is most appreciated. We have a tight submission window this year. We'd like to get student materials by Friday, Oct. 17, so that we can try to set up in-person interviews with students who are attending the PRSSA national conference in Detroit (NOTE: Prof. Appelbaum will be in Detroit). For those not attending we'll try to coordinate phone interviews. I have attached internship descriptions. Lesley Hettinger will be collecting resumes this year her email is lesley.hettinger@gm.com.

FYI - Moving allowance and housing also provided.

Each internship may have a varying start date requirement but generally will run from approximately May through August for a period of 12 weeks. Applicants should have completed their sophomore year and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Undergraduate and graduate students will be considered. Candidates should still be classified as active students during the internship and should have the right to work in the U.S.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Diedra

* ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES SHOULD APPLY (you don’t have to be a NBPRS or PRSSA student club member)
* National Black Public Relations Society/NBPRS
_______________________

Diedra Wylie
Assistant Manager, Communications
General Motors Corporation
515 Marin Street, Suite 216
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
(805) 373-9523 (office)
(805) 208-5249 (cell)
(805) 373-9648 (fax)
diedra.wylie@gm.com

General Motors Communications Internship Program

Summer 2009

DEADLINE: Oct. 17, 2008

The following is a list of General Motors communications internships for the summer of 2009. Each internship may have a varying start date requirement but generally will run from approximately May through August for a period of 12 weeks. Applicants should have completed their sophomore year and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Undergraduate and graduate students will be considered. Candidates should still be classified as active students during the internship and should have the right to work in the U.S

. Cover letter and resumes may be sent to Lesley Hettinger at lesley.hettinger@gm.com. Please include GPA and anticipated graduation date. If your background uniquely qualifies you for a specific internship please explain in the cover letter. Deadline for submission is Friday, Oct. 17, 2008. GM will be interviewing on site at the PRSSA conference in Detroit so please indicate if you will be attending. For students not attending, interviews may be arranged by phone or on campus.

Grassroots Communications
Location: Detroit, MI

Key assignments and responsibilities

Help plan senior leader grassroots visits to key markets, and assist with speakers bureau, plant city tours and VIP influencer tours.

Assist with grassroots planning activities, including:

• Participate in event planning from concept to execution
• Prepare briefing books for senior leaders, including determining the appropriate content, gathering information, and proofreading
• Write executive remarks, introductions and other documents as needed for grassroots trips
• Organize schedules, calls and timelines
• Ensure each event meets measurement criteria
  

Travel as needed to prepare for grassroots visits:

• Site visits and preparation may be needed for event support
• Work with regional communications teams

Specific skills preferred

• Strong team player
• Highly organized and ability to multi-task
• Creativity – willingness to bring new ideas to grassroots program
• Can adapt to changes quickly and can work well under deadline pressure
• Strong writing ability

Benefits to the intern’s development

Working with the grassroots team will give the intern the ability to see the “big picture” at General Motors, learning both our product and business messaging as he/she helps prepare senior leaders to communicate with key constituencies across the country. The intern will be able to think creatively about how to tell GM’s story, and see firsthand how messaging is shaped. He/she will learn how to work cross-functionally, and see how messaging is received differently in various regions of the U.S.

This is an opportunity to understand GM’s overall communications strategy for its senior-most leaders and be part of a dynamic team. He/she will also be able to improve writing skills, time management ability and measurement capability.

What skills do you expect the student to develop?

• Strategic Communication Planning
• Event Planning
• Communication Measurement
• Writing skills
  

Other considerations such as travel for events, etc.

• Occasional travel within the U.S. is required.

Manufacturing Communications – Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly & Orion Assembly

Location: Detroit and Orion, MI

Key assignments and responsibilities

Work with the plant communications manager to develop communication campaigns to improve plant performance around key metrics (safety, quality, responsiveness, cost and environmental).

Promote the future production home of GM’s first series electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt, and the home of some of its most popular cars, including the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 in the local community and with local media. Work with manufacturing communications in promoting how both plants fit in to GM’s overall global manufacturing footprint.

Assist with day-to-day communication activities at the plants, including:

• Develop a variety of communication tools (face-to-face, newsletter, video) to share information with plant team members on all shifts
• Respond to daily changes in quality, safety, and other metrics through targeted messaging
• Assist in developing internal and external presentations for plant managers
• Support team leaders through targeted communication packets

Work on special projects/challenges facing Detroit-Hamtramck

• Develop cutting-edge recommendations for accommodating public interest in Volt production (e.g., virtual tours, etc.)

Specific skills preferred

• Solid writing skills
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with others, including UAW and salaried team members
• Willingness to work a variety of shifts in support of communication initiatives
• Website development

Benefits to the intern’s development

Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly has been identified as the plant that will build one of the most significant vehicles in the corporation’s history. The transition from products the plant builds now to the Volt will be a significant one and will require detailed communication on changes to the facility. Note: Much of the change will likely not happen until later in the year, but the transition should begin during the summer 2009 time period – and development of a communication plan for the change will be a priority.

Orion Assembly will be nearing its one-year anniversary running as a three-shift operation in the summer of 2009 and will be striving to build on its already strong quality performance.

The student will learn how to stretch the idea of multi-tasking to extremes between both facilities and their very different challenges/environments (i.e., plant in transition versus plant going at full or near full capacity and the challenges that creates in continuous improvement and motivation while avoiding burnout.

In addition, since both plants are located near our corporate headquarters, a portion of the assignment will include shadowing other IC professionals to experience the “corporate” side of internal communications. The assignment will also provide learning opportunities in the area of labor communications.

What skills do you expect the student to develop?

• Strategic Communication Planning
• Message Development
• Writing
• Event Planning
• Communication Measurement
• Labor/Management Relations
• Understanding of the Global Manufacturing System

Other considerations such as travel for events, etc.

• Travel between plants would be required.

Premium Channel Communications Intern

Location: Detroit, MI

Key Elements

Assist with planning and support execution of divisional communications projects, including summer 2009 media events:

· Support launch planning and activities associated with Saab 9-4X, Saab 9-5, Cadillac SRX and Cadillac CTS Coupe.

· Engage with media outreach to support Cadillac and Saab brand activities.

· Program support for Cadillac’s role in GM Collection events and heritage events like Pebble Beach and Saab’s role in 2009 Owner’s Convention.

· Media relations support for Cadillac CTS-V summer drive.

· Ongoing media support to maintain buzz for launched vehicles including Cadillac CTS-V and Escalade Hybrid.

Assist the divisional communications team with various activities that promote key vehicles and support events. Duties include writing news releases, assisting with the 2010 communications strategy for premium brands focused on building awareness and consideration with key audiences and desire in the youth market (18-25); some media relations reporter-interface opportunities; and actively participating in brainstorming and other meetings.

In short, the communications intern will provide events management, program launch support, media relations, internal communication and media materials management assistance and can gain experience in those same areas, including writing assignments associated with these activities.

Managers who are responsible for the related assignments will mentor the intern. Additionally, the intern will receive ongoing mentoring and guidance from the director and other team members including exposure to PRSA and corporate-wide activities.

Advanced Propulsion and Environmental Communications Intern

Location: Pontiac, MI

Objective

Strengthen GM’s technology leadership perception and reinforce GM’s Advanced Propulsion Technology strategy focused on energy diversity, improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.

Intern’s summer assignment will include communications activities in the following functions: Energy and the Environment Public Policy; conventional powertrains (engines and transmissions); biofuels and electrification of the vehicle (hybrids, Chevy Volt extended range electric vehicle and hydrogen fuel cells).

Managers who are responsible for the related assignments will mentor the intern. Additionally, the intern will receive ongoing mentoring and guidance from the director and other team members.

Key Elements

· Assist with the execution of advanced propulsion and environmental communications media briefings and ride and drive events. Duties will include:

o Writing news releases, internet blogs and stories for employee web-sites/publications

o Pitching technology/biofuels news stories to print and social media

o Coordinating special photography and video packages to support press materials for events

o Actively participating in staff meetings and brainstorming sessions.

Cubitt, Jacobs and Prosek Communication’s Internship Program

Based: CJP Communications, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118, USA

Salary: $12 per hour based on 40 hour week

Hours: 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

Reports to: Associate Vice President

About CJP:

Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek is among the 50 top public relations firms in the US and one of the few domestic midsize firms that offers its clients a gateway to Europe through our London office. CJP has 50 professionals in the US and 25 in the U.K. The firm focuses on financial, professional services and digital PR. We also have an events team and investor relations team

Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek won a Silver Anvil from the PRSA in 2006 and was a finalist for PR Week's Agency of the Year Award.

The agency was founded in 1990 in Connecticut and has offices in New York, London and Stratford, Connecticut.

Website: www.cjpcom.com

Clients include: RBS, Hiscox, Allen & Overy, Jefferies, GE, First Reserve Corporation, The Hartford, Genworth Financial, Edward Jones.

The Role:

While at Cubitt, Jacobs & Prosek Communications, you will gain experience in the areas of:

Client Services

Gain a basic understanding of the value of public relations to your client's business and how to deliver value to them. Build an understanding of your client's industry and competitive landscape.

• Begin to participate in client planning and brainstorming meetings.
• Begin to respond to client requests for information.
• Begin to draft status reports / campaign summary reports.
• Begin to monitor key publications for industry trends and competitor activity.
• Develop and hone research skills and become familiar with industry resources (search engines, Web sites and internal resources, etc.).

Media Relations

Gain a basic understanding of the news media covering clients on whose account they are assigned, how it operates and how to measure media results. Become involved in a wide range of media activities and understand their role in a client's PR plan.

• Create and update media lists.
• Maintain editorial calendars.
• Monitor and track media coverage of clients.
• Compile clip books, ensure they are up-to-date and accurate.
• Actively pitch, research, craft and market stories to the lower-tier media; practice "role playing" a media pitch with team members; refine media follow-up techniques.
• Research and draft materials for press kits and coordinate mailings.
• Coordinate press conferences and event logistics.
• Read daily at least two national publications such as the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the New York Times (NYT) and USA Today and one or two trade publications per account.
  

Vendor and Third Party Relations

Begin to build relationships with key constituents of your clients and their industry, and your practice group, and understand the importance of third party relations.

• Conduct background research on vendors and advocacy groups.
• As necessary, solicit budget estimates and any other information needed for account work.

Writing Skills

Refine your business communication writing skills; understand the importance of knowing your target audience, using the appropriate tone and writing concisely and correctly.

• Write first drafts of press materials (e.g. releases, pitch letters, executive bios and company fact sheets), account activity reports, and internal and external memos.
  

Presentation Skills

Gain a basic understanding of the role that presentations play in PR (i.e. internal, client and new business presentations). Begin to learn to clearly and articulately express yourself in front of your team. Gain a basic comfort level with presenting in front of a group.

• Support your manager and team in the development of presentations.
• Present your work at team meetings.

Team Management and Development Responsibilities

Gain a basic understanding of your role within your account team.

• Attend team meetings; make a contribution at each one.
• Proactively manage relationships with your supervisors and fellow team members.
• Ask for new assignments that support your team and enhance client service.
• Be flexible and available to assist other accounts and teams, as needed.
• Participate in your team members' reviews; learn to evaluate and provide constructive feedback about their team performance.

New Business Development

Gain a basic understanding of business development processes, including the importance of background research and data to effective new business materials.

• Assist with research for new business proposals and presentations.

Professional Growth

Fine tune the basic skills required to grow as a professional in our client service industry.

• Understand the importance of time management and paying attention to details.
• Demonstrate an ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Complete tasks efficiently and with confidence; when you are unsure of something, ask questions.
• Maintain professional behavior (appropriate dress, language, respect for co-workers, etc.) at all times.
• Demonstrate a strong command of core business skills including business writing, grammar and business etiquette.
• Demonstrate computer proficiency in a variety of programs, including Outlook, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Internet navigation.
• Attend training sessions to help you grow as a PR professional; proactively plan a personal training schedule with the approval of your manager.

Corporate Responsibilities

Gain an understanding of how your role at CJP fits into the "larger picture."

Make yourself accountable for achieving results.

• Understand the scope of CJP and its international offerings.
• Know the locations of CJP's global network of offices, our key experts and practitioners and our clients; know CJP's ranking within the industry and your practice area.
• Work in tandem with employees in other offices on shared accounts.
• Understand how you fit into your business unit and your practice's overall structure.
• Understand and adhere to the CJP confidentiality and disclosure agreements.
  

These guidelines will help you learn the skills and gain the experience needed to prepare you for a career in public relations or corporate communications.