In response to the growing demand for skilled digital marketers in Canada, the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) has introduced the Digital Marketing Skills Canada (DMSC) program, in collaboration with the Canadian government. This program offers an opportunity for marketers who are either unemployed or working part-time – and meet the criteria – to enhance their skills by participating in the Chartered Marketer (CM) program at no cost. The DMSC program covers a broad range of topics, including proposition development, financial management, campaign development, marketing technologies, and more, ensuring a well-rounded education in digital marketing.

If you meet the criteria listed below, you’ll be eligible to apply for this program and funding, which could be a pivotal step in your marketing career. It’s one way we are supporting marketers in transition or working part-time, and seeking a full-time role. This program is unique as it leads to the CM designation – the only marketing designation in Canada, which provides a powerful differentiator for participants and signals to employers that they have the digital and marketing skills needed to excel in more senior marketing roles.

Eligible participants will have a 7-week period to finish the program. It is important for applicants to treat this as a full-time job to complete the required courses within this timeframe. Upon completion, they will benefit from the CMA's support in their job hunt, which includes networking opportunities, coaching in soft skills, interviewing techniques, and resume crafting. It is expected that graduates will actively pursue job opportunities, provide a job offer letter once they secure employment, and keep in regular contact with the CMA staff.

Applicant Criteria:  

• Employment Status: Unemployed, underemployed, or part-time employed marketers seeking promotion and/or career advancement.
• Career progression: Offered, accepted or on the path to being promoted in the marketing profession.
• Breadth of Marketing Experience: Three to twelve years of progressive marketing experience required, including experience working in more than one marketing discipline and/or role (e.g., digital marketing, market research, brand management, etc.)
• Additional Skills & Competencies: Strong communication skills, fluent in written and spoken English, eligible to work in Canada, and motivated to become a senior marketing professional.
• Relevant industry experience is preferred.

Pathways to the CM Designation:  

Based on your background in marketing education and work experience, there are pathways available to accelerate your progress through the CM program. After submitting your application, we will inform you about the specific courses you need to complete.

Application Instructions: 

• You will be required to upload a detailed resume and job references.
• If you have any education in marketing, you must upload an unofficial transcript if you have any marketing education.

After You Apply: 

• Your application will be promptly reviewed, after which you will be notified if you qualify for this program, and we will help get you registered into the courses.

If you have any questions prior to submitting your application, please contact us at dmsc@thecma.ca.

We're excited to be a part of your journey towards becoming a Chartered Marketer!

Thank you for your submission. We have a high level of interested and deserving scholarship applicants, which can result in some difficult decisions. To that end, please note that submission of an application does not guarantee approval. Canadian Marketing Association reserves the right to decline any application for any reason at our sole discretion. This policy helps us ensure compliance with the intended purpose of this government funded program, and fairness in our application approval process. We appreciate your understanding.