Do They Have What It Takes: A Review of the Literature on Knowledge, Competencies and Skills Necessary for 21st Century Public Relations Practitioners in Canada

The practice and study of public relations in Canada has had a contested and conflicted history. Theory building and empirical research have been overshadowed by the dominant, American-centric, two-way symmetrical model that was proposed some 20 years ago. Further, there has been limited focus on the requisite competencies and skills necessary for contemporary public relations practitioners, despite the transformations in the media and professional communications fields in recent years. This study is situated and contextualized in the knowledge, competencies, and skills required for twenty-first-century professional communication workers. It also explores the specific requirements for current public relations practitioners.