Student Experience | Online SEO/SEM/Analytics Course

Jan took our Online SEO/SEM/Analytics course in our Fall 2017 semester, and was working full-time for his family-owned company in Winnipeg.  Now he’s moved to Montreal to follow his entrepreneurial journey and has taken the hands on skills he learned in our online class to his day to day. Learn why Jan chose to learn online with us, and how he stayed engage and motivated in our online live lecture class.

Q/A

What were you doing before the course?

I was working for my family-owned company, CompCare Solutions in Winnipeg. I had to manage the finance, operations and marketing side of the healthcare agency.

What led you to BrainStation?

I value continuous learning, so I wanted to complement my MBA focused on brand management with something that is specific and current. I have the marketing knowledge but I was seeking the technical knowledge of how to promote the family business digitally. The SEO/SEM class seemed like the great option of what I was looking for.

What led you to enroll in a course at BrainStation?

I was at the point of shifting my career from a financial role to marketing focused role so I wanted this extra boost of skills as I embarked this journey. Also, a friend had taken a course in class at BrainStation that reinforced my decision to enroll.

What were your feelings going into it on day one?

I was excited as I definitely enjoy learning. The setting is particularly different as well considering it was online. So, I was also asking myself how you can learn hands-on virtually.

What was your experience like in class, with your instructors and with the content?

The class was interactive, considering it was online. The instructors were knowledgeable and had the experience to back up what they were talking about. For someone that already has the knowledge on the content, it was pretty straightforward so I appreciated the hands-on experience and technical knowledge gained more in the class.

How did the course impact you in your current role?

The course was impactful as it definitely provided an added confidence on my career shift and gave me a better understanding of the digital environment. My long-term goal of setting up my own business focused on e-commerce has been realized already, so learning how to navigate Google Analytics as an example, was definitely handy.

What is your current title, place of work and what do you do on a day-to-day?

The adventurous me is now embarking a career in Montreal. I am currently an Independent Contractor for few companies/start-ups in varying projects. One of which, I do content strategy and SEO for an events/activity app. As well, I do bookkeeping and payroll for some businesses as I can’t get rid of my financial side just yet. On top of that, I am the CEO/Co-Founder of LetsGoShopNow.com, an internet/e-commerce company.

Would you recommend this program to others?

Yes, certainly! I recommend the online course as it definitely gives you all the tools a traditional classroom also have, so you are not missing out on the experience. I appreciated the fact that after a long busy day at work, I can just learn from the comfort of where I am. Also, as a professional who’s interested working within the digital environment it is inevitable that you would be working with people remotely. The class at BrainStation online provides you this setting and experience just like in the real world.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about the experience?

To make the most of the online experience, doing the hands-on learning while in class will definitely reinforce understanding the technical aspects of the course content. It is also beneficial that you try to create side projects as practice so you understand better.