5 unique paths to a fulfilling career in marketing management

Take a look around you, and you’ll likely see some examples of marketing—maybe just a few, maybe a few dozen. Marketing is everywhere, and comes in different forms as it’s needed by different industries. It’s the primary means for brands—whether small businesses, large enterprises, public sector organizations, or charitable non-profits—to make sure consumers are hearing their message loud and clear.

Because of this high demand, and the growing need for digital marketing across all modern organizations, it’s a good career move for any aspiring creative. The Marketing Management programs at BCIT, which are part of the School of Business + Media, offer a portfolio of diverse, industry-informed courses to position graduates for success in this fast-paced field. If you’re looking for a marketing management program here in Canada, these five options can help fast track your career.

1. Marketing Communications

A marketing professional’s best friend and biggest asset may very well be their ability to communicate across a wide variety of channels—from social media and digital marketing platforms to traditional printed ads—to a wide variety of stakeholders. That’s why BCIT offers a full-time, two-year diploma in Marketing Communications.

Each marketing course in the program is designed to help you hone a versatile skill set that can be applied to whatever organization you’re passionate about working with. The program also provides you with unique opportunities to develop marketing strategies and build professional communications plans. 

If you’re looking for a more flexible option, BCIT also offers certificate and associate certificate marketing communications programs that can be taken part-time or online.

2. Professional Sales

Sometimes, an organization’s best customers are other organizations. Business-to-business (B2B) sales professionals are among the most sought-after marketers—and alumni of the Professional Sales diploma program at BCIT are some of the most sought-after in Canada.

This diploma is a two-year, full-time commitment that guides you through a variety of marketing courses. Not only will you master the latest techniques in the B2B space—such as driving campaign success with content marketing and leveraging your networks of affiliates to boost sales—you’ll also earn your Canadian Professional Sales Association accreditation over the course of your studies.

For those interested in taking their full-time studies further, you can build your diploma into a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with just one more year. Alternatively, there are part-time options available, such as the Certificate in Professional Sales and the Associate Certificate in Sales Skills.

3. Entrepreneurship

If you have an idea for a new business and want the skills necessary to bring on investors, build your brand, and spread the word through digital marketing and social media, look no further. The full-time Entrepreneurship option in the Marketing Management program ensures you have everything you need to start your own small business or take an existing company to new heights.

The program equips graduates for a future as founders, managers, and marketers who can operate locally and globally. You’ll also have opportunities to learn from working entrepreneurs.

Like the Professional Sales program, students of the Entrepreneurship diploma program can either get straight to work as soon as they graduate, or continue their studies to earn their BBA. Those looking to learn part-time can also consider the associate certificate option.

4. Tourism Management

Tourism has become one of our province’s biggest industries. It makes sense then, that BCIT offers a full-time diploma program in Tourism Management, the only business-focused tourism marketing program in BC.

With event management, hotel and hospitality, and destination marketing courses under your belt, you can help people worldwide experience new places and appreciate different cultures. If you’re interested in this field but not looking for a full-time program right now, there are related opportunities such as the Associate Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality, and the Associate Certificate in Event Management which features both on-campus and online options.

5. Professional Real Estate

No industry spans the entire marketing spectrum quite like real estate. Firms and brokerages promote their services, agents, and properties across every channel imaginable—out-of-home and television advertising, email campaigns, social media platforms, and printed materials, to name just a few.

Beyond that, real estate professionals connect one-on-one with buyers and sellers, building relationships that can last a lifetime. This is an industry where marketing truly matters. Homes, after all, are among the largest most meaningful investments we’ll ever make.

The Professional Real Estate advanced diploma gets you ready for a career in this dynamic field. This is a full-time, one-year program, and with courses designed by industry professionals, you’ll be prepared for the Real Estate Council of British Columbia’s licensing examination by the time you graduate.

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BCIT continues to offer applied education in a format appropriate to the unfolding global situation. There are multiple pathways to a fulfilling career in marketing management, so follow whichever thrills you the most. The School of Business + Media is accepting applicants for its upcoming intake of the program. If you need some direction, our program advisors are always here to help point the way. Contact us today.