When I finished my Bachelor of Arts in English and Politics several years ago, I had to ask myself a fairly serious question. What next? 

I quickly worked out that my abilities lay in the communications and marketing industries. But the more I learnt, the more I realised all these jobs were going ‘digital’ and would require a whole new set of skills, which I did not at that point possess. This created a very real problem for me. I knew what I wanted, but not quite how to get there since most universities at the time were not offering Digital Marketing as an option. 

Thankfully, NZIE came to the rescue as the first NZQA approved Diploma in Digital Marketing in NZ. I jumped on that opportunity as soon as it became available and have never looked back! 

I’ve written the following to give you a bit of insight into why I chose to study Digital Marketing, and what I still enjoy about it now.

Hopefully, this will help you work out if Digital Marketing is right for you too! 

Fast-Growing Market

The demand for Digital Marketing is growing rapidly. Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of how much of a positive impact good Digital Marketing can have on them. And so more and more employers are hiring in this area. In fact, since I started and completed my course, available jobs in the digital space have increased quite dramatically.

As time has passed, it has become obvious that Digital Marketing provides great value for money when it comes to contributing to a businesses success. Particularly when it comes to the many social media channels we currently have available (and the many more which will inevitably arise as the industry evolves).

Studying Digital Marketing isn’t just about social media though. It extends to all things digital and includes website creation and optimisation, digital content creation and design, marketing analytics and understanding the strategies it takes to execute effective Digital Marketing in a fast-moving online world. 

Ever-Changing Industry

If you, like myself, are the kind of person who likes being challenged and excited by what they do, then Digital Marketing might be for you. 

My highlights of Digital Marketing include how the industry is constantly changing and evolving as technology and our use of it continues to do the same. By studying Digital Marketing, you’ll learn how to make sure you stay on the cutting edge, even in this ever-changing environment. 

One of the things which makes me feel so passionately about Digital Marketing is that beyond all the practical skills, it’s an incredibly exciting area to be in! The very nature of the industry means that you’ll always be in the know with the latest technological advancements and trends. Sometimes even before the public catches on to them!

Lifestyle

While I’ve found that traditional workstyles are far from dead, they certainly are changing. Studying Digital Marketing opens up a bunch of more flexible options for how you manage your lifestyle. Whether you want to freelance your services to multiple clients you manage yourself or you’re after the classic 9 to 5, Digital Marketing has it all. You could potentially even do both like me!

Furthermore, as a Digital Marketer, you’ll be able to work from anywhere you can take your computer. This opens up huge opportunities for you to explore the world while you work, or even work from home as desired. 

It’s Practical

If you think being able to market effectively to an online audience through a variety of means would be highly useful in today’s environment, you’d be right! The internet holds many opportunities for those who are savvy with it. The Digital Marketing course is designed to get you to that level so that you can succeed in the online world.

So if this sounds appealing to you, my only advice is to jump in and do it!

I’ve gained valuable skills, experience, new friends, employment and the ability to control my own lifestyle – what more could I want?   

NZIE has options for students who have previous work experience or a degree. And also as well as options for those who are fresh from High School. If you’d like to find out more about the courses, please head to the Diploma in Digital Marketing page.

Author James Anderson – Digital Marketer and former student at NZIE