Jan. 29, 2025 When was the last time you saw an advertisement? Odds are, you’ve recently passed one on a billboard or seen one on a commercial break for your favorite television show. For many, these are what comes to mind when they think of marketing. But, according to Felix Pereiro, who heads the Business Department at Grand Rapids Community College, advertisements are just one small part of a much bigger picture. “Marketing people are creative problem solvers,” Pereiro said. “They look at issues that customers, or potential customers, have and ask if there’s a better way to do it.” With a marketing degree from GRCC , you’ll learn the fundamentals of operations, strategy, and customer relations. You’ll dive deep into the 4Ps of marketing: product, price, place and promotion. And you’ll study the marketing process whereby goods, services and processes move from concept to adoption by the customer. Expand your career horizons All of this will give you a head start on the path to solving problems in sales, retail, advertising and a whole host of other fields.  According to Forbes , marketing is an essential component of every business, because all companies rely on marketing strategies to develop marketing plans, determine pricing, implement advertising campaigns and gather analytical information to evaluate their efforts. Choosing to study marketing at GRCC means opening yourself up to a wide variety of excellent career options. There really is something for everyone in the world of marketing, says Pereiro, no matter your personality or interests.  “It’s all very entrepreneurial. You have some people who are the inside engines, some who like to go out and talk to people, some who like to stay back at the office and really work the data and analytics. You could go into marketing for 40 years and I guarantee you, you could switch areas every two to three years, and you’ll never run out of opportunities,” Pereiro said. Explore emerging industries According to Pereiro, some of the most exciting opportunities for using your marketing degree lie in the world of digital marketing and content creation. “Massive amounts of content are being created online every day, whether that’s through social media platforms like TikTok and X or in other places. It’s a whole new world,” said Pereiro. In fact, data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that jobs within digital marketing are set to witness a  6% increase in growth by 2032, higher than the average rate for any other profession. This wealth of opportunity is being fueled by another industry that Pereiro is excited by – artificial intelligence. “We’re not afraid of AI; we embrace it. We’re asking how we can use it, to the best of our ability, to help our customers solve problems,” Pereiro said. Get ahead of the competition When it comes to the world of marketing, the sky really is the limit, and the strength of your education at GRCC will leave you well positioned to get there.  “What we do with our marketing degree is prepare our students to go out and get jobs right now,” said Pereiro. “There’s never been a more exciting time to be in marketing.” Learn more about the  Marketing degree from GRCC. This story was reported by Alissa Griffin.

Jan. 28, 2025 The FutureTech Careers Program sits at the forefront of the advanced manufacturing and tech industries, including the conversation around Artificial Intelligence (AI). With grants from the United States Department of Labor and The National Science Foundation, this new program at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) looks to build the workforce within West Michigan by creating more opportunities for students enrolling in either GRCC’s School of STEM or School of Workforce Training. In a collaborative effort utilizing the services and grants offered through the program, both Schools are working together toward the goal of having each participant in the FutureTech Careers Program employed by the end of their educational journey. “We are focused on the student. From the beginning to the end,” said FutureTech Careers Program Educational Training Specialist Kimberly Tucker. “We want to help students attain the future they hoped for. The students are always the focus.” Tucker aids students participating in the program with their needs ranging from filling out financial aid paperwork to general enrollment. Once students are a part of the program, Tucker helps guide them through their educational journey. As the students get closer to graduating, Job Developer Consuelo White, leads the students through different offerings like resume workshops, internships and potential job placement. Adapting to fast-paced changes in technology One powerful tool the program provides is networking through partnerships and collaborations with local community-based organizations and local employers. “Oftentimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” said Program Manager David Pridmore. The FutureTech Careers Program works with regional employers to gather insights and prepare for future needs as new technology like agentic AI becomes increasingly integrated into enterprise use cases across the West Michigan region. This feedback informs GRCC leadership and faculty, enabling them to adapt curriculum to meet evolving industry needs. Due to the fast-paced changes, it is projected that human tasks may reduce from 80 percent to 30 percent while autonomous AI agents and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) are projected to handle 50 percent of functional and production operations by 2029. This positions the FutureTech Careers Program as a conduit between the industry, employers and GRCC faculty to ensure students are prepared for these transformations. The perceived shrinking job market becomes less of a worry and more of an opportunity for students affiliated with the FutureTech Careers Program. The relationships put in place during the program will serve as an incredible asset for potential job placement. In addition to networking, the program actively plans to break down barriers within the tech world. “We’re here to remind you that you’re able and this is an inclusive place for everyone,” Tucker said. “You’re always enough. We’re here to make sure our underrepresented communities know that. We help our students gain understanding of the job market so they can take steps to prepare themselves to be the best candidate possible.” Student Success Coach Linus Kaechele appreciates the invaluable resources the FutureTech Careers Program will bring to the students as it grows. “A big goal is to create a mentoring network for students in the program to connect with industry professionals in the area that share their background, and/or their interest, to help guide them and answer questions they may have,” Kaechele said. “We hope to help students feel more confident in themselves within the tech industry by connecting them with people who can help them directly and personally. It’s truly about walking step by step with each student and taking the steps with them. It’s about helping each student make progress and to realize they’re not alone in the process of getting a job and becoming an emerging tech professional.” Establishing a technology industry hub in West Michigan With a projected vision of West Michigan serving as a hub for the growing technology industry, students who participate in the FutureTech Careers Program will be at the cutting edge of the growth. The program looks to help students become leaders within the industry. “We have job developers that will work with the students. They can review and fine tune resumes. We also network with local companies to understand the types of needs the employers are looking for, allowing us to find what fits best for the student and the employers” Tucker said. “We will be setting up community building events to keep networking going between the Computer Science program and the community. Students will have access to job shadowing and internships, work-based learning opportunities and the ability to learn soft skills that translate in the workplace making our students well rounded in both what they know and how they show up to work.” This new program is part of a consortium with Muskegon Community College and actively partners with West Michigan Works! , The Right Place and many other community and educational organizations. Pridmore excitedly talks about the students within the Program’s vision. “Our entire work centers around the student and how we can make the student’s life easier as well as reduce barriers.” Tucker adds, “We want to work with underrepresented communities to break down those barriers for women and minorities who may not already be a part of the industry. We want everyone to know they belong here.” For more info on the multitude of ways the FutureTech Careers Program can help you start your career in the tech industry, connect with them on Raider Connect . This story was reported by Anjula Caldwell.