From Setback to a new Career path
When you meet Collette Fergus, you immediately sense her creative spark. With a career that has spanned everything from visual merchandising to hairdressing and now digital marketing, Collette embodies what it means to activate ambition at any stage of life.
But her journey into marketing wasn’t part of some long-term plan. In fact, it started with a setback.
“I broke my leg in three places and suddenly couldn’t do any of the hands-on jobs I’d trained for,” she explains.
During recovery, Collette revisited her art website and realised it wasn’t reaching the audience it could. That curiosity led her down a rabbit hole of SEO and sparked an unexpected love for digital marketing.
“Everyone says SEO is boring—but I found it fascinating,” she laughs.
“I ended up thinking, why not pursue this properly?”
Learning by Doing – The NZIE Difference
Collette enrolled in NZIE’s Diploma in Digital Marketing, drawn to its NZQA qualification status and the fact that it offered live online classes—not just pre-recorded lectures.
“The live lectures kept me on task. I needed that structure and real-time interaction,” she shares.
What surprised her most?
“The sheer amount of hands-on content. You don’t just study theory—you apply it immediately. I came out of the course feeling completely work-ready.”
She credits tutors like Matt (social media) and Alison (website development) with making complex skills both fun and accessible.
“I became the Divi expert at my agency because of what I learned with Alison!”
From Student to Mentor
Collette’s story came full circle when, just two weeks into her internship, she was offered a permanent role. Her skills—and the confidence that came with them—made her an instant asset.
“They said, ‘We can’t lose you.’ That felt amazing.”
Now working in digital marketing and helping run her agency’s internship programme, Collette is giving back by mentoring NZIE students herself.
“The applied diploma gives students a huge edge. It’s practical, relevant, and so valuable in the real world.”
Advice for Future Students
Collette’s advice is simple but powerful:
“Don’t underestimate how much you’ll learn. And when you graduate, make sure employers know how hands-on your training has been. It’s worth more than some degrees.”
She also encourages students to ask for help and be proactive—especially when navigating job opportunities in smaller regions.
“Some roles aren’t advertised. You’ve got to have the confidence to knock on doors—and NZIE helps you build that confidence.”
Inspired by Collette’s story?
Learn more about our courses here and how you can launch your own success story.
