Some people find themselves switching up careers several times in their lives, but for those looking at major industry shifts, finding the right opportunity can be tricky. Especially since the challenge isn’t just about learning new skills – it’s about finding the right pathway to transition into the desired industry. Here’s how Bex’s choice for a career change to digital marketing coupled with her choice to study NZIE’s Digital Marketing Diploma allowed her to jump from a well-established career in fashion, to opening her own digital marketing agency…
After spending almost 15 years travelling the world as a model in the fashion industry, Bex found herself wanting something different. Despite holding a Bachelor of Business from AUT, she never ended up using it as her career took her on a different journey, chasing fashion across the globe. The onset of COVID-19 became her catalyst for a career change to digital marketing.
“One day I decided I had to kind of grow up a bit. I couldn’t do fashion for the rest of my life, and after COVID especially, the one industry that was thriving was online marketing.”
Finding Her Window of Opportunity
While she originally thought she may have to return to university and study all over again, Bex chose NZIE’s Digital Marketing Diploma as her stepping stone into the marketing world. The course meant she could learn the necessary skills for a successful new career, without having to commit as much time to study as uni would have required. The practical nature of the course immediately resonated with her approach to learning.
“The highlight of the course for me was the practical aspect of it. Every assessment we did was an introduction to real-world strategies that you would use in real life for your clients. I came out of the course realising “Oh these are actually the exact same strategies we used in class!” so I had huge confidence applying that and driving results for my clients.”
Loving the Online Learning Environment
Unlike her previous on-campus university experience, Bex found NZIE’s 100% online learning education suited her perfectly.
“I preferred to study online because a lot more people are online nowadays. We’re more used to being online and talking to people online. I remember going to my studies at AUT years ago, having to go into lectures and falling asleep in class… there were too many people talking at once and asking questions.”
While social media marketing was an expected favourite, Bex discovered an unexpected interest during her studies.
“I thought I would hate SEO but that actually turned out to be one of my other favourites. There’s a lot of people out there that love or need SEO for their businesses, and I found that a lot of my clients are asking for SEO, so I managed to perfect that.”
From Amateur to Agency Owner
After completing the diploma, Bex’s broad, multi-discipline understanding of digital marketing led her down the entrepreneurial path.
“When I left the course, I started applying for jobs but they were all quite niche, and because I had so much experience of the whole digital marketing realm, I wanted to do a bit of everything.”
Rather than limiting herself to a specific role within an agency, she made the decision to start her own – thanks to her confidence in the skills she learnt at NZIE. She named her agency Bear Digital, after her much-loved little dog. Today, her agency operates from Hawke’s Bay but serves clients worldwide. Bex remains optimistic about the future of digital marketing, particularly regarding future technologies.
“I think digital marketing paired with the emergence of AI is definitely here to stay. We are ultimately in control of AI – we just need to stay one step ahead of it. Since graduating I’ve managed to stay on top of it, so it hasn’t really affected me much – in fact, it’s supported me and my agency.”
Digital Marketing is Essential
Looking back, Bex credits her ongoing success to her NZIE Diploma.
“I wouldn’t have a digital marketing agency without it. I definitely recommend studying at NZIE – even if you’re not interested in digital marketing as an industry to go into. If you’ve got your own business, I think you definitely need to be familiar with digital marketing because you’re going to be able to give your business a push and an online presence, which is where everyone is going now.”
Looking to transform your career or enhance your digital marketing knowledge to give your business a much-needed boost in the online world? Explore our Digital Marketing Diploma or Social Media Marketing Diploma and see how we can help you take your future to where you want to go!
