Inside 51本色’s Digital Marketing & Co-op Diploma
We recently filmed new content with our instructor Robert Bestwick and a group of Digital Marketing students. While that’s being edited, here’s a clear, easy walk-through of the program they’re talking about—what you’ll learn, how the co-op works, and what you’ll graduate with.
What this diploma actually is
This is a 24-month program (about 2000 hours) designed to turn “I post for fun” into professional campaigns and measurable results. It includes up to 12 months of Co-op—that’s real Canadian workplace experience built into the plan. Semesters run in 12-week blocks with a short break after each term, and you can choose one of several study/work sequences to match your goals.
How learning unfolds (in plain English)
You start with the foundations: how platforms really work, how to pick an audience and an offer, how to map a simple content plan you’ll actually follow. Then you layer in the skills that make your work undeniable:
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Social Media Marketing Essentials → strategy, formats, cadence, and a calendar that doesn’t collapse after week three.
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Social Media Campaign → plan and ship an organic + paid launch, manage creators, and present results.
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SEO & SEM → get found on purpose; fix on-page and off-page basics; test search ads and learn from the data.
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Digital Marketing Analytics → define KPIs, read dashboards, and explain outcomes in plain English.
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Content Marketing → inbound systems that turn attention into traffic and sign-ups.
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AI & Digital Marketing Strategy → prompt frameworks and workflows to scale research, ideas, and copy—without sounding robotic.
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Digital Graphic Design I & II → from Photoshop fundamentals to social-ready visuals and thumbnails.
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Intro to Front-End Web Dev → build conversion-first pages so strong campaigns don’t stall on weak landing.
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Communications & Career Development → present like a pro, write clearly, and interview with a plan.
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Managing Stress & Managing Personal Finances → practical tools for energy, focus, and money—because life doesn’t pause for school.
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Digital Marketing Final Project → a full strategy for a real business, with stakeholder meetings and a professional presentation.
What class feels like
Most weeks follow the same rhythm: short brief → hands-on sprint → live feedback. You’ll build actual assets—reels, ad sets, landing pages—and practice reporting on them. Expect quick stand-ups, creative critiques, analytics check-ins, and plenty of repetition until the process feels natural.
Co-op, in real life
Co-op isn’t a bonus at the end—it’s woven through the diploma. Across the program you’ll complete around 1000 hours in Canadian workplaces. You might study first, then work; or alternate classroom and co-op blocks. Each time you come back to class, you’ll bring real problems and better questions. That loop—learn, apply, return, refine—is the point.
What employers actually notice
They see evidence, not vibes: live campaigns, clear KPIs, GA4 screenshots, search plans, content systems, and a capstone strategy you can defend. Your first roles might look like Digital Marketer, Social/Content Specialist, SEO/SEM Specialist, E-commerce Marketing Specialist, Web Analytics Specialist, or Junior Brand Strategist—hands-on jobs with clear ladders.
What you’ll graduate with
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A social campaign you planned, launched, measured, and can explain.
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A search plan with on-page fixes, off-page priorities, and a small paid test.
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A content system (formats, cadence, repurposing rules) that you can keep running.
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A final project—a full digital strategy for a real business—packaged like client work.
Admissions and timing (quick)
If you’ve finished secondary school—or you’re 19+ as a mature student—you can apply. You’ll also need to meet the posted English language requirement. There are multiple intakes across the year, and seats (and co-op placements) are limited, so starting early is smart.
Bottom line
You already live where the attention is. This diploma gives you the strategy, tools, and proof to turn that attention into results—plus a full year of Canadian experience while you’re at it. Our video with Robert Bestwick and the Digital Marketing students is on the way. Until then, consider this your head start.