Jess Prujean proves that even with a small child at home, it’s possible to study, advance your career and start your own business all within the space of a year!
The young mum’s hard work and determination saw her through NZIE’s comprehensive, year-long Digital Marketing Diploma and out the other side with New Zealand’s only NZQA-approved qualification in Digital Marketing. Jess graduated as valedictorian, meaning she had the highest grade-point average amongst her peers. This was certainly an impressive feat for anyone, let alone a busy mum!
“It feels hard at times [with] the pressure and the time commitments. For every assignment you always doubt yourself. [To be] told that I’ve been named valedictorian, it just reassures me that I did actually do some great work.”
Navigating Study Around Parenting
Once graduated, Jess was able to start her own successful business in digital marketing and is already taking on several clients, thanks to what she learnt in the course. The 100% online-based classes set during the evenings meant Jess was able to split her time more easily between being a parent and a student than a traditional classroom setting:
“Being full time it was quite a juggle. I’ve got a little girl but I managed to work around that with tutors and…studying in the evenings made it easier for me to figure out how to work it into my life.”
Additionally, Jess appreciated the fact that despite being online, there was plenty of support from her tutors, who were only a click away. Compared to other online learning institutions, NZIE has live classes and expert tutors, available for one-to-one sessions any time. These tutors do all they can to ensure their students pass and graduate:
“NZIE are really helpful. There’s someone always there if you’re struggling or you need some help with something.”
Real-World Lessons
Jess particularly valued the way the skills she learnt could be utilised in the real world:
“I actually thoroughly enjoyed the course because [of] the applied aspect. You actually felt like you were doing work that you [would] do in real life.”
Undoubtedly, the digital marketing mum’s perseverance and passion led to her academic success and positioned her as a role model for others striving to balance personal commitment with professional aspiration. Her tutor, Lasma, acknowledges how Jess’s dedication was the key to her success:
“Jess consistently demonstrated a high level of commitment to her academic pursuits evidenced by her diligent attendance and exemplary engagement in live classes.”
Jess’s Advice for Others
“If you are wanting to start a career in digital marketing this [diploma] is a great course. It gives you that applied knowledge and you’re doing the real-life industry [work]. You can see exactly what it’s going to be like for you in real life.”
Ready to start a career that gives you flexibility around your kids? Check out our Diploma in Digital Marketing!
