Bournemouth University School of Tourism graduates who undertook the E-Marketing unit in their final year have been sought out for jobs by several online marketing agencies due to their skills gained from the unit.

Gemma Cooper who works for atom42, an online marketing agency, directly contacted Dr Philip Alford, the leader of the unit, as she recognised that the skills that students learned from the unit were attributes of their ideal candidate.

Gemma who is a recent Bournemouth University graduate herself commented that she thought the roles they had available at atom42 would be of “particular interest to anyone that had taken the unit. “

Ruth Cole, the manager of the Link Building Outreach team at iCrossing, which is a full service line digital agency, also contacted Dr. Philip Alford directly about job opportunities for recent graduates. Ruth commented that she believed taking the E-Marketing unit in her final year seriously contributed to her getting her current job.

Dr. Alford commented that “The Unit covers the digital marketing spectrum and provides the students with the knowledge and hands-on experience to enhance their employability.

 This is supported by a number of students who have completed the Unit and secured good quality jobs working for digital marketing agencies such as Gemma and Ruth. The great news is that they are eager for our next wave of graduates”

One element of the unit that is similar to life in a digital agency is the Google Online Marketing Challenge. This involves students working in groups with a small business and running a live Google Adwords campaign (with $250 which they receive from Google). The challenge aims to provide students with a mix of theoretical and practical insights into E-Marketing.

Former E-Marketing student Jessica Child commented that the Google Online Marketing Challenge was really beneficial because “it gave you actual experience within the industry, instead of just learning about it. I now feel confident that I could undertake my own Google campaign, which could be an  asset to any future employer.”

Jessica continued to comment on the unit as a whole saying “ I feel  E-Marketing has improved my employability as it has introduced me to a range of skills and understanding that will be vital in the near future as a communication tool for businesses”