Trawling through the Guardian Media's job section last week I came across an ad by the Government Communications Network and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). According to the ad, the DWP have a series of nine vacancies for Information Officers and Advisers in Leeds, London and Newcastle.
But, if you read beyond the stand-out headline you find out who the civil service/Government are actually recruiting:
"If you know your podcasts from your blogs... how to build them and when to use them, then there's a fair chance you'll have the right type of knowledge and experience to come and join us."
More specifically, the DWP is looking for people to "shape the digital delivery of a communications programme".
So blogger relations activity and podcasting have finally made it to the hallowed reticence of Whitehall. As far as I'm aware I've yet to see the civil service make use of new media - although I could be wrong - so I will be following this one closely.
The full ad can be read here (pdf).
Defra is using podcasts - story is in last week's PR Business but I haven't listened to it yet.
Also I ran a blog/social media training course at Trinity and All Saints a couple of weeks ago for the Government News Network to train PR people on the public communications diploma.
Posted by: Stuart Bruce - Wolfstar | May 15, 2006 at 07:24 AM
Thanks, Stuart. I missed the Defra story. It seems the Guardian ad is the tip of the iceberg!
Posted by: Simon | May 15, 2006 at 08:49 AM