I’m about to graduate at the end of this year. The thought is both daunting and exciting, and it’s made me think even harder recently about where I want to be after graduation. I entered university back in 2014 not really having any idea where I wanted to go with my career; I chose Communication because I loved writing and the program being broad allowed me to keep my options open (the amount of times I’ve heard that phrase…). Shortly into my degree I added a Business minor to the mix, and also decided to do three co-op terms dispersed throughout my degree. I worked first at NUVO Magazine, a Vancouver-based lifestyle publication, then at posAbilities, a non-profit providing programs and services for those with developmental disabilities, and for my third (and current) co-op term, at Pinmo, a tech startup in Vancouver developing an app that turns everyday people into influencers and expands the reach of marketing. All three of these experiences have helped to shape what I thought would be my career, until finally I now have an idea of what I want to go into: digital marketing.
Having found some idea of what I wanted to do, I was ecstatic. Finally I would have an answer to everyone asking what I wanted to do after university! But still, I was concerned. There was a gap in my education and the industry requirements of digital marketing professionals. I felt incompetent and unprepared for such a career, and I knew I needed to step up my game and gain some real, practical skills in the realm of digital marketing.
Enter BrainStation.
I heard about BrainStation because some networking events and workshops I was interested in were hosted there, but I never really knew exactly what they did. When I searched for digital marketing courses in Vancouver, I found them. I asked a friend of mine who is a marketing manager what she knew about BrainStation and their courses. She told me she had actually taken a course there and recommended I take one as well. So, I applied for a scholarship and enrolled in their 10-week, Monday-night Digital Marketing class.
The first few weeks of the course were stressful, not because of the course itself but because I was finishing a tough semester at university and was super concerned about passing my finance course (math is not my strong suit), so my regular courses consumed much of my time. Still, I looked forward to my BrainStation course each week. From the very first class I was learning so much, and not just learning theories. I was learning about programs and tools that would help me as a marketer to work effectively. The units included SEO/SEM, email marketing, Google Analytics, and paid social, to name just a few. Each week I found myself leaving class with not only new knowledge, but concepts and programs I could take home to delve into deeper.
The final project in the course, which I admittedly thought would be a pain to complete what with it being a group project, was actually incredibly helpful. Each group selected a brand to provide recommendations for based on what we had learned. Our group provided some pretty solid solutions for Vancouver-based athletic apparel company RYU. The project was not only an opportunity to put our digital marketing skills to use but also to practice public speaking in a non-threatening environment (and let’s be honest, we can all use the practice!).
Overall, BrainStation’s Digital Marketing course was money well spent for me. I feel so much more prepared to enter the world of digital marketing when I graduate this year. Thanks BrainStation for providing such an awesome course and experience for me and my fellow classmates. I will definitely be taking another course here in the future.