Improving Your Public Communication Skills (NJ Recycling Certification Program) – Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education

Learn and practice how to design marketing and public relations campaigns to educate and engage the public in this NJ Recycling Certification Program course.

Students in the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class work together in groups to complete a hands-on activity

Course Status Notice – Not Scheduled

We do not have an offering of this course scheduled at this time. Please join our email list to be notified when the next offering is scheduled!

Open to Recycling Certification Series Students Only!

Registration for this course is only open to students who are currently enrolled in the NJ Recycling Certification Series. If you would like to enroll in the program to become a Certified Recycling Professional, please contact Pamela Springard-Mayer at pspring@rutgers.edu or 848-932-7463.

Course Details

Course Name: Improving Your Public Communication Skills
Course Code: ER0102YA26
Date of Most Recent Offering: November 12 & 13, 2025

Date: November 12 & 13, 2025
Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm EST

Format: Hybrid course combining online and in-person, classroom instruction
Location November 12, 2025: Online
Location November 13, 2025: Cook Student Center, 59 Biel Rd, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (Directions & Map)

*Continental breakfast and lunch included for those attending the class in person on November 13

Recycling Series Registration Fee: $225.00 per person

Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Course Overview

This class is part of the NJ Recycling Certification Series.

It is a fact – no matter how good your message is, it won’t work if people are not exposed to it. In this course, you will analyze audiences to design public relations and marketing campaigns that will be heard! Part of the second day will be devoted to real-world case studies, put before the attendees so they can apply and demonstrate what they have learned.

Who Should Attend?

If you are completing the NJ Recycling Certification Program in order to become a Certified Recycling Professional, you must take this course.

Photo Slideshow

Take a sneak peek into the hands-on activities included in this course course to see what you’ll learn and practice!

Signs are one of the communication methods students learn about in this class.
Students work together in groups to complete a hands-on activity during Day 2 of the course.
Identifying the best way to spread the word about recycling programs is a key skill that CRPs learn in this course.
Students learn how effective writing and graphic design can make recycling signs more impactful.
Course participants learn how good communication can increase public participation in recycling programs.
Students brainstorm ideas for marketing and advertising shred events and cleanups to the public.
Course instructor Bill Jamison checks in on the progress of one group during the hands-on activity.
Instructor Bill Jamison is a communications expert who shares his knowledge with recycling professionals in this class.
Students combine their creativity with the concepts learned in class to come up with innovative ideas for reaching the public.
The group project gives students the opportunity to apply what they've learned and work together.
Learning how to get recycling information out into communities and schools is a major focus of this class.
Attendees practice their new recycling communication skills as they design mock public relations and marketing campaigns.
Participants will leave this course with simple and effective skills to help them communicate more clearly.
Group work gives students the chance to share ideas, brainstorm new approaches, and provide feedback to each other.
Using social media outlets to share recycling messages that will reach residents is one of the topics covered in this course.
One past student commented, "Both Debbie (DePew) and Bill (Jamison) made this the best class so far in the CRP series!"
A student shows off a poster designed to encourage recycling of cans and bottles.
Another student displays a sign designed by his group during the hands-on portion of the course.
Students prepare for the group presentation segment of the class.
Students gain confidence in their public speaking skills by participating in presentations to the class.
CRPs polish their communication skills and pick up new ideas for communicating about recycling in this class.
Presentation skills are an important component of the Recycling Communication class.
As this group proves, communicating about recycling can be fun!
Students enjoy watching and learning from each other during the group presentations.
Instructor Debbie DePew (left) and OCPE Assistant Director Carol Broccoli (right) observe and take notes on the students' presentations.

Signs made by recycling students in the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Recycling students working together on a group project for the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Student places a recycling sticker on a poster during the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Single stream recycling information sign is held by a student in the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

A variety of informational recycling signs on a table in the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Two students work together on a project during the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Improving Your Public Communication Skills instructor Bill Jamison observes students engaging in a group activity

Improving Your Public Communication Skills instructor Bill Jamison

Students work on hands-on projects during the Improving Your Public Communication Skills course

Students work on hands-on project during the Improving Your Public Communication Skills course

Students design mock public relations and marketing campaigns to practice the skills learned in Improving Your Public Communication Skills

student shows off poster designed to encourage recycling of cans and bottles

Student displays a sign designed by his group during the hands-on portion of the Improving Your Public Communication Skills course

Students prepare for the group presentation segment of the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Students in the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class give a group presentation

A student presents a poster during the Improving Your Public Communication Skills class

Students in Improving Your Public Communication Skills smile while watching fellow students give a presentation

Course instructor Debbie DePew and OCPE Assistant Director Carol Broccoli take notes during the group presentations

Meet Your Instructor

Bill Jamison

Bill Jamison is a communications consultant and an accomplished public speaker who has been teaching courses through Rutgers University since 2002. He is certified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a Crisis Emergency Risk Communications trainer and has decades of experience as a communications specialist with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH).

Elyse Barone

Bio coming soon!

Student Reviews

“This class hits all aspects of communicating. It is very helpful. [Most useful was] how to do outreach and education; how to utilize social marketing.”

– Kristina Nieradka, Borough of South Plainfield

Recycling & Clean Communities Coordinator

“The information is very useful in professional environment as well as personal and life in general. Communication is the key to successful relationship at work, home, or social gatherings.”

– Mark Ibraham, Borough of Somerville

Assistant Borough Engineer

“The information really helps on key areas of communication. Explains what people are more interested in seeing and hearing [and] different ways to get the best and most informative information out to the community.”

– Kathleen Fischbach, Jackson Township Department of Public Works

Clerk

Continuing Education Credits

The most recent offering of Improving Your Public Communication Skills was approved for 1.2 Rutgers CEUs (12 contact hours), as well as the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.

The Improving Your Public Communication Skills course is approved for 1.2 Rutgers CEUs (12 contact hours), as well as the following credits from professional organizations.

New Jersey

NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 10 Management Contact Hours

NJ Certified Recycling Professionals (CRP): 12 Classroom Recertification Credits

Course Requirements and Policies

COVID-19 Policies for Face-to-Face Classes

Please visit our policies page for the latest information.

Location Changes

Location is subject to change; registrants will be notified in the event of a change.

Campus Parking Policy

All visitors must register their vehicles ONLINE to park on campus. Please follow the guidelines below. Failure to comply with these policies may result in a citation.

A link to register your vehicle will be provided in your course confirmation email. Please be sure to complete this important step prior to traveling to campus.
When you park on campus, be sure that your license plate is unobstructed and visible from the driving aisle.
All Rutgers faculty/staff/students must use their regular Rutgers permit and park in the nearest lot assigned for their permit type.

Policies for November 12 Online Class Meeting

Technology Requirements

This online course will be delivered via Rutgers Canvas learning management system and Zoom.

Equipment you will need to access this training:

A laptop or desktop computer is required for this class.
Speakers and microphone are not necessary as a call-in option is available.
You must have a camera and a microphone to participate in this class.

Once you register with OCPE, you will receive an email from “Rutgers University Canvas” saying, “Click here to finish the registration process,” to create your new account in the Canvas Virtual Platform. If you do not see this message in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder.

One week before the start date of class, you will receive an email from Claudine Oleskin with more details on the class.

Email Requirement

A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.

If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
- Your full name
- The shared email address that needs to be changed
- Your unique email address
- A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

Cancellations and Substitutions

A $75 cancellation fee applies for this course. View our cancellation policy.

Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about Improving Your Public Communication Skills, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Program Coordinator: Pamela Springard-Mayer
848-932-7463
pspring@rutgers.edu

Administrative Assistant: Claudine Oleskin
848-932-7204
coleskin@njaes.rutgers.edu

For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Three smiling recycling center workers standing in front of recycled cardboard