Learning Core Publishing Skills with a PTC Virtual Course

It can be difficult to stand out when applying to publishers for roles: there are often hundreds of applications and few positions on offer. It’s also important to convey to a potential employer that you are aware of industry trends and new technologies. One way to demonstrate extra skills and knowledge is by listing courses on your CV and discussing them during interviews.

The Publishing Training Centre (PTC) is an independent charitable foundation with a network of publishing and training professionals who deliver training courses for individuals working or aspiring to work in the publishing industry. The PTC’s virtual courses are ideal for those who are at the start of their career, or who want to expand their existing skills and gain confidence in their abilities.

What is a PTC Virtual Course?

The PTC virtual courses are led by experienced tutors, live, on Zoom, in half-day sessions, from one day to a week apart. The courses enable junior or mid-career professionals to learn directly from industry experts and benefit from their insights, knowledge and real-world experience. Class sizes are small to ensure that tutors can give each attendee the personal attention required to make the most of the course. They also offer a great opportunity to interact with other delegates and learn from their experiences and challenges. These courses are packed full of practical advice and information that attendees can implement and use straight away.

Choosing the Right Course

The virtual courses cover many aspects of working in publishing today, including: editorial, digital, marketing, project and people management, rights, sales, and transferable skills.

There are courses for everything you could be looking to learn. Here are a few of our favourites:

·      Introduction to Editorial Skills: This course offers a thorough introduction to the key skills of copy-editing and proofreading. You will be given expert editorial advice and the opportunity to practise the key skills of the proofreader and copy-editor across a range of different types of content, for both print and digital output.

·      Introduction to Project Management: Designed for staff with a non-editorial publishing role who manage projects, such as organising an event, running production schedules, launching an app, and more. You’ll learn how to plan, execute and close a project on time and on budget.

●      The Fundamentals of Public Speaking: Many of us really dislike speaking in public, but this course looks specifically at the situations in publishing where you may be expected to deliver a sales pitch or talk about a title for a retailer, and shares tools on how to manage public-speaking worries.

●      Copywriting for Publishers: Copywriting is a key skill in publishing, no matter which department you’re aiming for, whether it be editorial or audio, sales or rights – all members of these departments will need to do copywriting. This course explores how effective copywriting can boost your projects.

Save on 2025 Virtual Courses

Book any PTC virtual course running in 2025 before 31 December 2024 and pay 2024 prices.

Additionally, if you’re a reader of The Publishing Post and a student or recent graduate yet to find work, the PTC offer 50% off virtual courses. Further details can be found on their discretionary discounts page.