Archive for July 2012
Marketing and Advertising Management program incorporates digital media into curriculum
Development of content for digital media is becoming increasingly important to companies already juggling the demands of preparing creative content for traditional media channels such as newspapers, magazines, household mail-outs, radio and television. Marketers are now charged with the task of creating and disseminating digitalized content online for websites, social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook, audio and video for live streaming, and 
blogging. The list is long, and all indications suggest that it is only going to get longer. The availability of digital media has prompted a change in consumers’ expectations. A car manufacturer without a website, for example, would be unimaginable.
As a result of the exponential growth of the influence of digital media, marketing professionals are engaging in training and skills development themselves, and seeking new employees who are adept in this area. For colleges, ensuring that students are learning skills that are relevant in the job market is an imperative.
For more than 40 years, Holland College has been consulting with experts to develop the curriculum of its programs – an approach which ensures that the training students receive prepares them to enter their chosen field with confidence and that they are able to contribute to the team immediately.
To address the increasing demands of consumers for more digital media, the college’s Marketing and Advertising Management program has modified its curriculum to ensure that students are knowledgeable and skilled in the development of digital marketing campaigns and management.
“Our advisory panel includes experts from the marketing and advertising industry,” explained Tim McRoberts, Manager of Business Programs at Holland College. “In consultation with them, we were able to determine what skills would be of most benefit to employers when they hire graduates from our program, including skills related to digital media.”
Graduates from the program are finding themselves assigned to digital media projects. Colin Malone graduated in the spring, and within a week he started his new job, Digital Specialist for The Guardian, part of the Transcontinental Atlantic Media Group.
Malone is responsible for selling online advertising, executing online promotions and contests, overseeing the Reader Panel surveys, setting up events and increasing the paper’s Facebook following, and preparing e-mail blasts.
“The Guardian is much more than a newspaper now,” he said. “There are so many different avenues for advertising.”
His boss recently sent him to Newfoundland to learn more about how The St. John’s Telegram’s digital sales team functions.
“My position at The Guardian is relatively new, and the company believes in investing in employees to make sure they have the tools to do the job as best they can. The St. John’s Telegram already has a digital media team, so I was able to learn a lot from them, and now have a network I can turn to when I have questions.”
Malone sees his role expanding over time as new digital media emerge and are incorporated into the company’s marketing plans.
Will Beckett graduated from the Marketing and Advertising Management program this spring, too. He went straight to work as Marketing Manager for Lawmark Group, which owns Charlottetown-based Cruise Holidays, Discount Car and Truck Rentals, Fleet First Auto Sales and Absolutely Fabulous Salon
Boutique. His responsibilities include traditional activities such as writing radio copy, designing and booking ads, and creating posters; but he figures that about 80% of his day is spent on digital media.
“My boss, Ken Lawrence, is very media savvy. He’s pushing us into the market of social media,” Beckett said. Rather than viewing digital and traditional media as separate tools, Beckett sees them as complimentary.
“Social media and marketing principles go hand in hand, [Digital and traditional media] each have their strengths, and each augments and supports the other.”
Program Manager Tim McRoberts agrees.
“Our Marketing and Advertising Management program will continue to have the right blend of training in both digital and traditional media, all underpinned with the fundamentals – strong writing skills and sound business practices,” he said. “In addition, I commend our faculty for continuing to take steps aimed at ensuring they remain current in their field.”
Eric Young’s Irish Adventure
For Eric Young, spending the summer between his first and second year of the Golf Management program on the job was more than a matter of course, it was a chance to travel and, as it turned out, to meet celebrities!
Eric is working at Old Head Golf Links, in Kinsale, Ireland, ranked The Most Spectacular Golf Course by Links magazine.
“I have wanted to visit Europe ever since I can remember,” he said. “On the first day of class, Paul Murnaghan [manager of Golf programs at Holland College] showed us pictures of past students on their internships all over the world. Old Head was one of the locations.
“Golf is a sport that is played pretty much all over the world, and I love to travel. Since I want to get as much experience out of this program as possible, I figured that starting my career in golf at such a world class course would open up great opportunities after I graduate.”
Sometimes, it’s not traveling that’s daunting; it’s making all of the necessary arrangements. Eric said Holland College helped with that.
“If it weren’t for the efforts of Susan Shaw, our college’s internship officer, I don’t think any of this could have happened for me,” he said.
The director of golf at Old Head, Danny Brassil, arranged Eric’s accommodations for him prior to his arrival. He’s staying in the home of the golf course’s accountant.
As a staff member in the Golf Services department, Eric’s duties vary from day to day. He could be working as a starter, a marshal, on range set up, greeting and checking golfers in as they arrive, assisting the director of golf tournaments, or on a variety of other tasks.
“On my days off, I also caddie, which is a great experience and an opportunity to meet people. I am glad Danny Brassil has me moving around all the various departments of the course, as it gives me a chance to learn about all the work that goes into running a golf club from day to day.
“The skills I learned from the Golf Management Program helped me a lot working here at Old Head. Having this internship program between the first and second year gives me a great opportunity to build on the skills I learned this past year in school. Learning the different methods they use to operate golf courses in Europe is knowledge I’ll be able to apply wherever I work.
“The game of golf over here in Ireland is much more difficult. With wind basically every day, and rain and fog most days of the week, there’s not much forgiveness on the golf course! Our caddies tell our North American customers, ‘You’ll add 5 or 6 strokes to your handicap when you play the Old Head’.”
Speaking of North American visitors, Eric met a couple of them recently: former president Bill Clinton and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback “Big Ben” Roethlisberger.
“The day Bill Clinton played Old Head I was assigned to drive around in a cart in front of the Clinton group with the head of Mr. Clinton’s secret service and his head of staff. When Mr. Clinton finished 18 and was heading back to his vehicle, they gave me the opportunity to meet with the former president before he left. I owe all of this to Jim O’Brien our course’s general manager. If he hadn’t assigned me to accompany Mr. Clinton’s staff, I don’t think this could have been possible.
“As for ‘Big Ben’, I was on the opening shift the following morning, and saw the last name ‘Roethlisberger’ on the tee time sheet. I thought it would be something if it really was the Steelers quarterback. Then the rain started, and I forgot all about it. About an hour before the tee time I was standing off to the side at the desk in the pro-shop and in walks the 6’5”, 240-lb Roethlisberger. I don’t think it hit me about who I met until I got home from work, because I was still shell-shocked from meeting Bill Clinton the day before!
“I would easily give my experience here at Old Head 10 out of 10. Having such great co-workers and friends to work with everyday makes going to work a great experience.”
Eric’s still got several weeks left of his internship before he returns to Prince Edward Island to complete the second year of his course. There’s no doubt that by the time he gets back, he’ll have some great stories to tell his classmates.
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