Winning collaborations: SM2Communicate reigniting employers and apprentices by bringing insightful digital marketing practices into workplace qualifications

CEO of digital marketing agency SM2Communicate Dawn-Louise Kerr was invited in June of 2020 to join the digital technologies team of Milton Keynes College, helping to reshape the delivery of the British Computing Society Digital Marketing Apprenticeship Qualification.

Opportunity 

Digital Marketing professionals, following the pandemic of 2020, find themselves in an even more competitive and fast-paced landscape. The main role of a Digital Marketer is to define, design, build and implement digital campaigns across a variety of platforms to drive customer acquisition, engagement and retention.

With 2020’s heightened emphasis on effective online presence, communications and strategy, those wishing to pursue a career in Digital Marketing need the skills and the preparation to slide easily into a digital organisation.

An apprenticeship offers the candidate more than just key skills. It offers invaluable time spent in the field, working in a real collaborative environment. For employers, the apprenticeship is a cost-effective way to boost productivity and add value to creative strategies.

Digital leadership

As CEO of successful digital marketing agency SM2Communicate, Dawn-Louise Kerr brings a blend of experience and knowledge of apprenticeships to help make a step change in the delivery of the current programme.

‘Helping support the new digital trainers at the college, my role is to help employers and apprentices achieve progress satisfaction, through the latest knowledge from the digital world and the practical application of that knowledge in the workplace. With young people eager to learn, and employers needing fresh, pro-active minds, this can be a winning combination with the right guidance’ says Dawn-Louise Kerr.

‘The apprenticeship is a positive step forward and offers layered skills - from writing an effective marketing email through to planning digital campaigns. Apprentices receive help raising their profile and employability, and the right support to integrate into the organisation.’

Milton Keynes’ Assistant Principal Tracey Matthews reconnected with Dawn-Louise to work with Milton Keynes College following a successful previous collaboration together. 

‘The experience working with Dawn was so good we remained connected. Six years later, I reached out to Dawn to work with her again! She continues to bring that same energy and yet more experience. I really value the passion Dawn has for her profession and how open she is to sharing her wealth of experience with others.’

Having been in the role for the past 6 months now Milton Keynes’ Sales Engagement Manager Julie-Ann Hammond had this to say; “Dawn-Louise has set up the most amazing bite-size digital marketing learning sessions for our level 3 Digital Marketing apprentices. This is not compulsory and is in addition to the standard apprenticeship day release training we offer. Dawn-Louise has built up a quite a following and there is something new for everyone to learn more about at the cutting edge of digital technologies! The success of the bite-size concept is such that employers are joining in the session and engaging with our trainers, building their own relationship with Dawn-Louise.” 

To find out more about Digital Marketing Apprenticeships with Milton Keynes College, go to https://www.mkcollege.ac.uk/apprenticeships/

In 2021 Dawn-Louise has been asked to lead the programme delivery for the Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification in Digital Marketing at Level 4. Blending face-to-face and online teaching, with guest speakers and interactive delivery methods.

You can see a series of posts about this updated qualification from CIM via her LinkedIn profile:

Module 1 – Applied marketing - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dawnlouisekerr_followyourvoice-will-you-follow-yours-activity-6742694324665892864-uybq

Module 2 - Campaign Planning - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dawnlouisekerr_planning-campaigns-are-you-looking-to-launch-activity-6742331963459309568-FZ7m

Module 3 – Digital Marketing Techniques - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dawnlouisekerr_digital-marketing-techniques-focusing-on-activity-6741969580446539776-BLpM