Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2024
  4. arrow_forward_ios 02
  5. arrow_forward_ios How does Strategic Communication inform a career in PR?

How does Strategic Communication inform a career in PR?

7 February 2024
A group of people smile with their award

In late 2023, Master of Strategic Communication student Jennifer Hutchings was awarded (alongside her team) Bronze at the Golden Target Awards. 

Run by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), the Golden Target Awards "are Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious industry awards for PR and Communications professionals." The awards praise the best of "strategic and creative thinking, executional excellence, and the high achieving people, teams and agencies across the nation transforming businesses, brands, and reputations."

Jen spoke to us about her award-winning project, how her studies came in useful for her work, and what's next in her career.


Could you tell us about the project and the PRIA Golden Target Awards?

The Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) is the national industry body for public relations and communication professionals. The PRIA Golden Target Awards are Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious public relations and communications industry awards. 

My team won the bronze award in the Digital, Social and/or Content Campaign category for ‘Design your Harbour Park’. Harbour Park is almost two hectares of public space in Barangaroo, on Sydney Harbour waterfront. In 2022 we consulted with the community through an interactive digital engagement tool ‘Design your Harbour Park’ which allowed them to design their own park, picking their favourite park features and activities. This game was available online and on touchscreens in a pop-up shipping container in Barangaroo. Almost 1,500 people played the game and 8,500 people viewed the game, creating huge awareness about the park. The results of the engagement helped inform the brief for the Harbour Park design competition.

Aerial shot of Barangaroo Harbour Park

Harbour Park, Barangaroo. Credit: NSW Government.

How does your Master of Strategic Communication help your work?

These studies have directly impacted my work. Influence in a Digital World was one of my favourite subjects. It helped me understand how powerful and influential digital communication can be for community and stakeholder engagement. My team take a digital-first communication approach across our work and actively look for opportunities to be more innovative in our communications. The recent Harbour Park project may not have had global reach using traditional consultation and communication methods and formats.

Understanding and Engaging Audiences was another subject that has influenced my way of thinking when executing projects. My team analyse data and stakeholder feedback to help understand their interests, needs, concerns and communication preferences to enable us to develop evidence-based strategic communication.

What sort of projects would you like to work on in the future?

In the future, I want to focus on being more strategic rather than just operational. Also, continue to build my skills as an expert in this area while continually learning and being challenged.

I enjoy working on big, public-facing infrastructure projects, which gives me opportunities to think creatively and find innovative ways to communicate. I love that my children will get to enjoy Harbour Park one day and know that all the communication and engagement activities I’ve done over the past couple of years contribute to this amazing outcome.

Annotated plans of Harbour Park, Barangaroo

Annotated plans of Harbour Park, Barangaroo. Credit: NSW Government.

What would you tell someone to pursue strategic comms as a career? 

  • Be proactive, listen and learn from others more experienced in the field.

  • Understand and research your audiences and find different and creative ways to engage with them.

  • Measure and evaluate your success.

  • Jump in with both feet and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – just learn from them!

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to News in Arts and Social Sciences

Related News

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility