In today's competitive job market students need an advantage. Co-op education helps you develop the necessary confidence and employer-valued abilities through the integration of hands-on, real-world experiences. As a student in this advanced diploma program, you will integrate academic studies with related employment experience and graduate within three years with the co-op advantage.The program presents great career opportunities for those who are creative, intuitive, disciplined, problem solvers with above average analytical and communication skills. Graduates will be prepared for leadership roles and careers in advertising, brand development, selling, online marketing, entrepreneurship, new media marketing, research and many other rewarding choices. This hands-on program takes a project-oriented approach and provides opportunities to work with real-world clients. As an advanced diploma, focus is placed on ensuring graduates can perform a number of more complex functions including applying principles of financial analysis and control, using analytical and evaluation skills to support a variety of management functions, development of integrated marketing plans that drive towards business goals and objectives and embracing new technology. Instructors are experts in their disciplines and use interactive approaches to enrich the learning environment. The program provides marketable skills, validated by ongoing input from an advisory committee of marketing experts.Conestoga College is an Accredited Partner of the Canadian Professional Sales Association (CPSA). This program is accredited by the CPSA Institute as providing all 35 hours of pre-requisite education toward the Certified Sales Associate designation, the first level of the Graduated Certification Framework. Students successfully completing this program will earn their Sales Certificate from the CPSA Institute. Learn more about the CPSA Institute professional designations here. The three year Marketing Co-op program runs for four consecutive academic terms (16 months) to complete the first and second year of studies. You should be prepared to attend school for fall, winter, summer, and fall consecutive semesters. This is followed by two co-op work terms, and then the final two academic terms are completed in the third year. NOTE: The summer semesters typically run from early May to mid-August.<br><br>This program prepares graduates for work in marketing, social media marketing, professional sales, retail and general business administration positions in a wide variety of technology, industrial, commercial, retail, and service organizations in domestic and international locations. On average, 77% of graduates from the last three years (2017 to 2019) found employment within six months of graduation.