LinkedIn recently listed ‘Growth Manager’ as the number one fastest growing job in Canada.
Within that role, the current gender breakdown is 23 per cent female and 73 per cent male.
Despite growth marketing being a lucrative, quickly growing job, there are not enough accessible ways for women and underrepresented communities to upskill to be considered for these roles.
A new collaboration between Growclass and Upskill Canada underscores a commitment to diversity and inclusion by targeting underrepresented communities in digital marketing education.
Techtalent.ca sat down with Sarah Stockdale, the Founder of Growclass, to learn more about why digital upskilling is so important in the growth marketing space.
Congratulations on the funding announcement as part of the Digital Marketing Skills Canada (DMSC) program! Why is digital upskilling so important in 2024, particularly within the growth marketing space?
SS: Thank you! It’s incredibly important— for the second year in a row Linkedin has listed Growth Marketing as the most in-demand role in Canada, and Growclass is the only Canadian upskilling company that focuses specifically on training this role. Our goal is to empower Canadians -especifically women and underrepresented folks – to land high-paying roles in tech and growing industries. By providing practical, focused growth marketing education, we are dedicated to helping Canadian marketers secure high-growth roles, and get them paid what they’re skills are worth.
Why did you start Growclass?
SS: I built Growclass because I couldn’t find a space for women and underrepresented people to learn non-fluffy growth marketing skills. All of the offerings in the market weren’t specific to growth, had a lot of jargon and arrogance, or had really outdated digital marketing content. With years of experience in building growth teams and advising companies, I recognized the challenge in sourcing and training new talent. I wanted to build a place where women and underrepresented people could acquire tangible skills, build a real professional network, and accelerate their careers in a space that feels supportive and never intimidating.
What does this funding and this program mean for Growclass and its community?
SS: This funding lets us accelerate our mission to help underrepresented people build lucrative careers in marketing. Now we get to award 500 incredible Canadians with Growclass scholarships, and support their career journeys alongside incredible partners in UpSkill Canada, The Canadian Marketing Association, Jelly Academy, and The Government of Canada. It’s so incredible to see these organizations come together to help underrepresented Canadians build the careers they deserve. There is nothing better than that.
What does providing accessible upskilling mean for the next generation of tech talent?
SS: Traditional education is struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change — and employers need talent that can jump into a business, understand their tech stack, and immediately start adding value. But if your new hire comes from an educational background that didn’t prepare them, employers often don’t have the time or resources to properly train folks. There’s a gap there, and usually employees would have to just try to learn it on their own while also doing their full-time jobs — which is an unfair expectation.
Accessible upskilling means that workers have access to really great, practical training that’s built for busy professionals. The kind of training they are actually excited to enroll in. And employers can know exactly what new hires come prepared for. This person has taken Growclass? Great, I know they come with the right hard skills, and an entire network of professionals they can continue to learn from.
What is the biggest misconception about the upskilling/continued education industry?
SS: A lot of people see continuing education (ConEd) as boring night courses, or on the flipside sketchy gurus, or flimsy tech platforms without a lot of really good options. And that’s fair because, often, it’s true. It can be hard to cut through the noise and find courses that can actually make a difference in your career with teams of instructors who really care about you. That’s one reason I’m so excited about the DMSC program, it gives Canadians a clear path to really good, credible training options.
How can Canadian marketers get involved with the DMSC program?
SS: You can take the quiz over at DMSCtraining.ca to see what program is right for you! You can also peek at the Growclass DMSC scholarship at www.growclass.co/scholarships.
Anything else you’d like to add?
SS: At Growclass, we’re on a mission to support women and underrepresented people in marketing in learning practical marketing skills, while building a meaningful professional network, to accelerate their career and unlock a new level of economic empowerment. We’re so grateful to our incredible partners at UpSkill Canada and The Canadian Marketing Association for supporting our mission and expanding access to growth marketing training in Canada.