Corine'S STORY

A UW CERTIFICATE SCHOLARSHIP Allows A STAY-AT-HOME MOM TO Step Back into the workforce with confidence 

After starting a food blog in early 2012, Corine Rigby found herself interested in the digital marketing side of blogging and wanted to increase her readership. To do so, however, she discovered she needed some more technical skills. 

She found a solution to her skill gap in the UW Certificate in Digital Marketing, which would provide her with the skills she needed to get a job and an impressive University of Washington credential. 

The only problem? Financially the certificate was a bit out of reach at the time. 

“We were a struggling single-income family because I was mostly a stay-at-home mom,” Corine said. “I didn't have the funds to take the certificate, even though I knew that was something that I needed to advance in my career as a digital marketer.”

Fortunately for Corine, UW Professional & Continuing Education recognized her potential and awarded her a UW Certificate Scholarship. 

ADDING TO HER TOOLKIT

Corine says that once she was accepted into the UW Certificate in Digital Marketing program and received the scholarship, everything flowed, allowing her to learn.

“I had a basic understanding of what I needed to do to market myself,” said Corine. “But I didn't have a deep knowledge of what you need to grow in the digital marketing world.”

Through her certificate program, Corine quickly expanded her toolkit and got in tune with the market as it is today. “You learn about the different programs and resources you can use if you're stuck on a problem,” said Corine. “And you can network with many people in the digital marketing field.”

In addition to the opportunity to connect with classmates, Corine valued her instructors, which were vital to her success. “They were great mentors and gave me a lot of feedback and constructive criticism, which was helpful while finding ways to better myself,” she said. “Just having them as a resource was amazing.” 

NEW SKILLS FOR NEW HORIZONS

The certificate’s capstone project required developing and presenting a marketing plan for a start-up in the Seattle area, which provided Corine with a portfolio of work she could use to apply for jobs. After graduating in early November of 2021, Corine immediately went to Indeed and submitted her resume for a couple of digital marketing jobs.

“Within a day, I had an interview and then the following day, my now boss reached out to me and said he would like to offer me the position,” said Corine. “It was amazing. In one day, I was able to get a job after completing the certificate.”

Corine credits her program with giving her the boost in self-esteem she needed to land the job at AssetLab in Seattle. “Stepping back into the workforce as a stay-at-home mom can have its challenges, but with this program and the people I met, I could rejoin the workforce with confidence,” she said. 

Securing a new role wasn’t the only benefit of completing the UW Certificate in Digital Marketing; it also gave Corine skills she could funnel into personal passion projects. “I can market myself, get my blog out there, attract more subscribers and continue to grow,” Corine explained. “My blog not only gives me a creative outlet, but it also helps me with my professional life by allowing me to try experiments I can use in the digital marketing field.”

“Getting this certificate and the scholarship has been a life-changing experience for my family and me,” Corine said. “It was a wonderful opportunity for my sons to see their mom be successful, and also for me to better our family and contribute financially for them and their future.”

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