Why “The Communication Masterclass’’ Is To Be Regarded As A Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program

Communication is at the heart of every organization; hence, it requires tact and professionalism. A puny slip is enough to bring the strongholds of an organization tumbling. The Communication Masterclass (an online platform founded and hosted by Mawuli Fui Kwadzovia (an experienced Communications practitioner with ten years of experience) to share knowledge about PR/Communication and become a thought leader is a requisite in time.

The program is an important intervention especially in the face of the current Covid-19 crisis where the communicator is under immense pressure to manage information effectively. It matters how information is handled and served, to allay fears and give insights to various stakeholders at a given time.

The Communication Masterclass addresses the needs of both aspiring and practicing communication professionals, and could be best described as a CPD because that is the purpose it serves.

The Communication Masterclass (TCMC) marries theory and practice by providing education beyond just classroom knowledge. For someone like me who has been in the public relations field for just a few years, this platform helps me to understand the nuances of Public Relations and Communication, as well as what to expect as I journey in this field. Beyond this, TCMC features astute professionals who are able to dissect practical issues to the understanding of even the toddler in this field. One of the best parts of this program is that, it hosts professionals beyond the borders of Ghana so one is able to get some omniscient view of what the practice is in other parts of the world. The live comments/questions also help viewers to interact with the facilitators, thus, ensuring that the viewers get prompt responses to any hazy concepts they may have.

The Communication Masterclass is also a good platform to forge ties with like-minded professionals and get some form of mentorship from them. It is crucial for every individual to have mentor(s) who will provide guidance in an aspect of life. Professionally, the TCMC offers a good opportunity for participants to reach out to professionals practicing both locally and internationally.

This will expand the participant’s professional network and increase one’s chance of getting better opportunities. It breaks the geographical barrier and will seek to create a formidable alliance of top-notch communication practitioners while exposing aspiring ones to greater opportunities. For some of us, this is also a good platform to hone our skills as professional practitioners and improve on our current skills, so that one day we can also be featured and share our experiences with others.

The Communication Masterclass also features topical issues and provides different perspectives on these matters. This helps to create some synergy in the information disseminated in organizations and creates a unified voice from the professionals.

Not only does it help to get different views but also boosts the reputation of the communications practitioner as he or she will be seen to be on top of issues. One of the purposes of CPDs is to help the participant to be updated with modern trends, practices; this platform by Mawuli Fui Kwadzovia directly serves this purpose.

Beyond being a CPD, TCMC provides information on alternative forms of training one could explore towards capacity building. A good example is the feature of Mawuko Afadzinu, (President - Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana) and Shirley Tony Kum (Honorary Secretary, IPR Ghana). The Institute of Public Relations is the only professional body in Ghana for Public Relations professionals. An opportunity is therefore created to directly engage these executives for further discussions on being an accredited member of the Institute. Other notable guests to interact with in this regard include Moliehi Molekoa (MD Magna Carta), Thabisile Phumo (Past President of the Public Relations Institution of Southern Africa) and Praise Nutakor (Head of Communications, UNDP Ghana).

The Communication Masterclass is a boost to the career of communication professionals; for those in practice and aspiring ones. It is the necessary thrust forward in one’s career as it augments the already existing knowledge and experience of participants while providing a different refreshing outlook on issues. It is only expedient for anyone interested in this career path to follow this program, by following The Communication Masterclass pages on social media (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) for updates on upcoming sessions. Communication is an art and only practiced effectively by those who have their games up.

Written by: Josephine A. Dzo

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