From prweek.com/uk: Feedback - Unpaid interns scandal: the industry responds

Work placement schemes would not be necessary if there was a proper route for graduates into the PR and comms profession (Danny Rogers: 'Unpaid interns do industry a disservice', prweek.com/uk, 3 February).

But therein lies the issue. The PR industry is not a profession with the rigour of a minimum skill set and a continuous professional development scheme. At best, it is a craft and agencies and in-house teams set the entry bar.

Placements as part of a degree course are one solution. Apprenticeships are another. But ultimately this issue will not be solved until PR and communication becomes a profession. Steve Waddington

... and internships need to be learning experience

Unpaid internships amount to little more than work experience, which should be limited to a month or two. True internships should offer a more structured learning experience, some financial reward and last a year. Phil Shepherd

- Oliver hire heralds wind of change at No. 10 ...

A good appointment ('BBC's Craig Oliver appointed as Downing Street comms director', prweek.com/uk, 2 February). Finally, somebody from broadcast and not a daily newspaper. It is significant that Oliver has worked with all the major political correspondents, apart from Adam Boulton at Sky. Neil Henderson

... but is Oliver just one of Coulson's cronies?

I understand Oliver was contacted and possibly 'headhunted' by Andy Coulson, in order to be appointed to this government post. Is Oliver a crony of Coulson's by any chance? I think we should be told. Lomond Handley.