Focus Area Information

Communications

Communications in the Ontario Public Service

Communications is vital to government. OPS communications specialists develop messages and strategies to publicize key government initiatives. Ministry communications branches advise and support the minister, deputy minister and ministry program areas.

Communications in the OPS involves:

  • Developing targeted strategies to get the public's and media’s attention
  • Planning and coordinating events to support communications strategies
  • Identifying and managing issues
  • Writing and editing communications products like news releases, speeches, briefing notes, fact sheets and newsletters
  • Managing ministry websites and graphic design.

Skills and Abilities

We are seeking candidates who possess knowledge and can demonstrate a variety of skills and abilities including:

  • Communication skills refers to effectively writing and orally presenting information in a clear, concise and accurate manner
  • Teamwork skills refers to working co-operatively and collaboratively within a team or workgroups to achieve group and organizational goals
  • Planning, organizing and co-ordinating skills involves proactively planning, establishing priorities and allocating resources, and monitoring and adjusting work to accomplish and deliver results
  • Customer service skills involves identifying and serving an organization's customers who may include the public, colleagues, partners, and peers
  • Problem solving skills involves understanding a situation by breaking it apart into smaller pieces, or tracing the implications step-by-step and work towards solutions
  • Information seeking skills refers to the desire to know more about things, people or issues and implies going beyond routine questions one would ask in the job.

What to Expect

As a communications intern, your work could include:

Promotions and Marketing

  • Identifying marketing, communications and media opportunities
  • Consulting with stakeholders and managing issues.

Media Relations and Event Planning

  • Planning and organizing media and special events
  • Identifying and analyzing media issues.

Communications Planning and Writing

  • Developing and implementing communications strategies and plans
  • Writing and editing supporting communications products like news releases, Q&As, and speeches
  • Writing correspondence.

New Media and Creative Services

  • Researching, developing and launching new media products
  • Working on the graphic design of brochures, posters and reports.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning of your career in the Ontario Public Service.

An internship is an opportunity to learn and develop your communications skills in the public service. The internship is intended to be the start of a public service career to prepare and develop you for job opportunities in the Ontario Public Service. An internship in this area can prepare you for a career as a/an:

  • Event Planner
  • Media Relations Specialist
  • Communications Consultant
  • Writer/Editor
  • Web Editor.