Leveraging a Graduate Certificate to Change Careers

After working for 10 years in the manufacturing industry as an engineer, Marcus Farmer found himself in the middle of an industry downturn. As he reevaluated his position, he was eager to retool his career and felt that continued education was a key to success. Farmer turned to University College at the University of Denver to shift career paths, earning a graduate certificate in marketing communication. As a father of two, going back to school meant juggling business projects, family, and time. Three philosophies helped Farmer get the most out of his education and laid a solid foundation for a thriving career.

Be Intentional

Farmer chose his goals with great research and intention, giving himself the space to make a solid plan for how he envisioned his future. He decided that digital marketing was an industry with a lot of opportunity, as well as one that he truly was interested in, and chose to pursue a graduate certificate. “I came in with a scope of intention and execution on how I wanted it to play out,” Farmer said.

Ask Questions

Farmer hit the ground running because he actively participated in his education, asking questions and seeking opportunities to leverage what he was learning. He’d ask questions of colleagues about how digital tools could help their business models, as well as bring questions back to the classroom.

Never Stop Learning

Farmer’s drive to apply knowledge reflects his third philosophy: never stop learning both professionally and personally. In a fastmoving industry like digital marketing, practitioners who say nimble will find themselves busy. If you are ready to explore opportunities to quickly develop a new skillset, a graduate certificate may be right for you. University College offers more than 50 different certificates in a range of industry specialties. Learn more at universitycollege. du. edu.