How you can use short courses to develop your marketing skills this year
A career in marketing means daily challenges in a highly competitive environment, be it from your competitors or peers. To truly succeed, marketers need to constantly improve and acquire more on their skills to stay on top of their game. Those with a drive for self-improvement, will be rewarded with new opportunities and promotions. Those that do nothing but go about their day-to-day tasks will be left behind.
Short courses are the answer
Short courses are designed to be a quick way to top up your knowledge on a specific topic. They range in duration from one day to a few weeks. A short course aims to offer skills enhancement and/or skills training at an affordable price. If you choose to undertake a short course, you should expect to gain more practical experience than theoretical knowledge. However a good balance of both is best. Although short courses can greatly benefit your career it is important to note that they are not accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) or SAQA, which means they are not qualifications. For this reason, when choosing a short course for yourself, you should seek out a credible provider like the Institute of Marketing (IMM) that is recognised in the industry. On completion, you can expect to receive a certificate of completion from the provider of the short course. (Skills Portal, 2021).
There are many benefits to doing a short course
- Value
Short courses offer a range of specific skills to marketers. Besides this, taking a short course shows employers and potential employers drive and willingness to grow yourself. It would be wise to match the short course you do to your career aspirations. For example, if you are aiming for a management position you should consider courses in self-development, leadership, and communication skills. - Duration and flexibility
Seeing that the duration of short courses range from short periods of one day or one week to longer periods (usually less than a year), you can pace yourself and take on additional courses during quieter periods. It’s pointless taking a course if you can’t dedicate enough of your time and energy to it. You should be planning ahead so as to maximise your learning opportunity, allowing enough time to apply your new knowledge in your workplace. Short courses which are delivered online are by far the best as they offer flexibility for you to work through course content from anywhere and at a time that best suits your schedule. - Affordability
Although short courses do not carry the same weight of qualifications, they are more cost effective. This is an important benefit for many professionals who are not being funded by their employer. However, the affordability should not take away from the value of a short course as they are equally, if not more (in some cases), important as qualifications due to their practical nature and speed of delivery. - Mobility
Online short courses like those offered by the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM), South Africa offer mobility as they do not require the physical presence of students in lectures or tests. This saves students time and transport money. Online short courses allow students to complete the lectures, assignments, and tests when they are able to within a specific time frame. - Insight into career choices
Short courses offer insight into a specific field for those individuals who are unsure of what career they would like to follow. For example, taking a short course in Digital Marketing with the IMM will offer first-hand experience of what the industry is all about. From there you can decide if you wish to pursue your career change or stick to what you know. Either way, adding the short course to your CV will benefit you in job applications even if you choose not to pursue a career digital marketing, as it shows prospective employers that you are willing to invest in yourself and learn.
Where to study short courses
A range of institutions offers short courses. These institutions have consulted industry experts to curate the courses offering optimal value to marketing professionals. Different institutions which offer short courses include:
- TVET College
TVET colleges offer short courses which require physical attendance. These types of short courses also offer a large amount of practical experience in the field. - The Institute of Marketing Management (IMM), South Africa
IMM aims to uplift, grow and promote the marketing profession. IMM offers a range of online short courses in Strategic Brand Management, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Supply Chain Management and more. Click on the link to explore the full range of short courses on offer and start developing your marketing skills today.