Career Path of a Public Relations Consultant at A Global Medical Transportation Company
Nicole's career path began with a public relations degree and an in-house internship at Tima Communications, providing "assignments as if working in a real PR agency". Following graduation, experience with UC Davis Medical Center's trauma prevention program and other public safety organizations, including Impact Team Drivers, solidified a focus on this sector, eventually leading to agency roles at KA and Associates and Crocker and Crocker before reaching their current position.
Public Relations, Healthcare, Public Safety, Communications, Internships
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nicole Michel
Public Relations Consultant
A Global Medical Transportation Company
California State University Chico
N/A
Creative Writing, Journalism
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Communication and Marketing
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Through internships at UC Davis Medical Center and organizations focused on public safety, Nicole discovered her passion for healthcare and public relations.
2. Her diverse internship experiences, including roles at TEMA Communications, Impact Team Drivers, and a Sacramento-based PR agency, provided practical skills and exposure to different areas of public relations.
3. Nicole's career progression highlights the value of building experience through internships and agency work, demonstrating a clear path from entry-level positions to a role as a PR consultant at a global medical transportation company.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
I attended California State University, Chico, which has a journalism program with an option in public relations. That's what I enrolled in when I reached my junior year of college.
They have an in-house internship program through a group called TEMA Communications. I originally interned with TEMA for a semester. In TEMA Communications, they give you assignments as if you were working in a PR agency, assigning you clients from businesses in the community or organizations within the school.
While still in school, I interned with TEMA Communications. Right after graduation, I completed three different internships. The first was with UC Davis Medical Center and their Trauma Prevention Program.
I feel that internship really set my path for my career trajectory. It was involved with public safety and healthcare, and I didn't know at the time that that was the route I was going to take. I worked with UC Davis's Trauma Prevention Program for about six months.
They had me doing small tasks like copy changes to materials and social media content. From there, I landed an internship for another public safety-focused organization called Impact Team Drivers. This organization facilitates education in schools to prevent the number one killer of teens, which is car crashes.
These crashes are primarily caused by reckless and distracted driving. That was a very short internship, but again, I helped with social media content and attended some safety-related conferences, doing tabling for them.
My last internship was for a Sacramento-based PR agency that was called Pros at the time; they've since rebranded. Again, it was primarily public safety-focused work, related to roadway construction in the Tahoe area. I did a lot of social content, assisted with copy, and handled small research assignments.
I didn't know at the time that it would lead me down the path I eventually took, but it all worked out. From there, I was hired with an agency in Roseville, California, called KA and Associates. Again, it was more public safety-related work, on accounts like the California Office of Traffic Safety. They did distracted driving and DUI prevention campaigns.
Agency life really exposed me to many different types of work. From there, I got a job with another Sacramento-based firm called Crocker and Crocker; they've also since rebranded. Eventually, I ended up at Reach.