Public Relations Intern - 55990831

The objective of this internship will be focused on developing your understanding of the role and opportunities of communications in a public-sector agency (FDOT).  

Yuou will:

• Develop job-specific skills which includes drafting press releases, customer service, social media, and daily news clips. 

• Key applied skills required for this position include proper use of plain English, grammar, spelling and editing skills, staffing the switchboard, and answering calls from the public, drafting text and designing art for social media posts and researching and curating news stories from print and broadcast news media.

• You will learn how to draft government press releases; crafting concise messages learning how the FDOT is organized and to properly deliver service to the customer. 

• How to properly convey government messages on social media

• What stories are important to our internal FDOT agency audience

Focus will be in several key areas that will include:

Understanding and applying rules and regulations that govern communications and community outreach by state agencies, including: 

Florida Sunshine Law

Governor’s Plain Language Initiative

FDOT Public Involvement Handbook

Chapter 11 [Public Involvement] of the PD&E Manual

Answering questions from the public about FDOT projects and programs.  

Hands-on experience will include:  

Staffing the FDOT D4 switchboard

Researching questions from the public

Drafting proposed press releases 

Drafting social media posts and graphics

Attending public meetings

Compiling daily news clips