PRESS RELEASE

Coronavirus (COVID-19): GCS offers job support to communication professionals

• A new portal will signpost communication practitioners to available roles in government and offer the opportunity to register their availability for government work
• A network of communication experts will offer career and professional development guidance, alongside outplacement, mentoring and coaching support

The Government Communication Service has put together an advisory panel to provide career support to communications professionals whose roles have been impacted by COVID-19

As one unified voice representing the communications sector, these organisations will provide strategic leadership for the profession and offer practical support for specialists.

Advice and insight from these experts will also help shape the Government’s COVID-19 communication activities.

The advisory panel will contribute to the implementation of this support, which includes:

• a new portal on the GCS website listing communication roles in government; the service is available to communication professionals with government and non-government backgrounds
• inviting communications practitioners in the UK to register via the portal their availability for any potential work within government
• virtual career support, including mentoring and CV guidance
• a virtual professional development offer (free and paid-for webinars)
• facilitating secondments, shadowing and pooling resources where appropriate

Across government, a number of departments are still advertising for and recruiting communications professionals on a permanent and short-term basis. The new portal will direct people to these roles through government-owned channels, while the organisations on the advisory panel will also promote roles through their networks. Among a wide range of areas where the government requires immediate support, digital and social media skills feature highly alongside more traditional roles of media/press office and insight and evaluation.

The panel will provide advice, outplacement support, mentoring and coaching to communications professionals, and signpost to existing mental health and wellbeing support and legal advice.

The advisory panel includes leaders from across the UK communications industry:

• The Government Communication Service (GCS)
• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
• Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC)
• Local Government Association
• Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA)

Discussing the announcement Chris Daly, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) said: “The current unprecedented situation has and will continue to have an impact on the marketing profession. We are dedicated to supporting our members and the wider communication profession in every way we can. This partnership with the Government and leading professional communication bodies will provide support where it is needed most, helping people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.” 

"By creating this new portal and being able to fast track marketers to potential employment opportunities within the Government Communication Service (GCS) at such a critical time in people’s careers is just one aspect of the kind of support that being a member of CIM can provide.

"Membership of CIM gives people a wide range of benefits to help further develop their career, such as mentoring, toolkits and guides, as well as access to our network of like-minded marketing professionals. On top of this support, we are also providing a range of free materials to anyone who needs marketing advice. These include thought leadership articles, webinars, industry reports and recruitment advice - all to ensure professionals can upskill to protect their careers or secure employment in these difficult times.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

For media enquiries

For further information please contact the Chartered Institute of Marketing press office at Good Relations on CIMTeam@goodrelations.co.uk

For CIM enquiries

James Delves
CIM Head of PR and External Engagement
james.delves@cim.co.uk

About CIM

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the world’s leading professional body for marketing, with over 28,000 members worldwide, of which there are over 2,500 Chartered Marketers.

CIM’s mission is to create a marketing advantage for the benefit of professionals, business and society with a focus on export, data and skills. CIM believes marketing is the critical factor in driving long term organisational performance.

CIM provides members and organisations with five key benefits: 

• Partnership – CIM is a professional and organisational partner to support performance and career development
• Education – CIM allows individuals and businesses to continuously upskill
• Information – CIM keeps members up to date with the latest marketing thinking, and keeps organisations at the forefront of practices
• Connection – CIM provides access to services, expertise and peers
• Recognition – CIM is the global benchmark of professional competence

For more than 100 years, CIM has supported, represented and developed marketers, teams, leaders and the profession as a whole. There are 120 CIM study centres in 32 countries and exam centres in 132 countries worldwide. In the last year, over 7,500 people registered at over 230 UK CIM events. Find out more about CIM by visiting www.cim.co.uk.