Our friends at The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) announced their latest research report this week. The ‘State of the Profession 2018’ report revealed a 22 per cent rise in the public relations workforce in recent years, with over 71,000 PR practitioners currently in the UK. However, it also uncovered that the biggest challenge facing the industry at the moment is under-representation of PR professionals at board level. Other issues on the horizon for the sector include countering new risks posed by AI and new technology, and diversity and inclusion.

The connection between PR and marketing was made clear in the report, with 33% of PR professionals surveyed reporting that they engage in marketing activities in their current job. However, the boardroom skills gap affecting both professions is also evident, with 29% of respondents responsible for the marketing budget, and 38% having influence over the marketing budget, but less than 3% being responsible for the organisation’s business strategy.

To read more of the CIPR’s latest report, click here: http://newsroom.cipr.co.uk/state-of-the-profession-charts-robust-growth-but-reveals-evidence-of-pr-skills-gap/