This paper attempts to contextualise the issue of skills and particularly writing for public relations as a business discipline within a broader debate about the key graduate skills. The paper raises themes for discussion on professionalisation and professionalism, which link to course structure and curriculum content. The paper considers writing skills as a key graduate (and public relations vocational) skill, debates surrounding theory and practice within the curriculum and aligning the curriculum to the work setting as proposed by Dearing. The paper analyses literature and reports from three stakeholder perspectives to evaluate their contribution to the skills debate, with particular focus on communication and writing as a core skill within public relations education and practise. The paper focuses on ideological and political issues that influence the skills debate in the post-Dearing era and assesses the impact of stakeholders on the presentation of evidence, argument and recommendations for higher education.
