A total of 13 marketers were conferred with the ZimChartered Marketer status together with 140 professionals who successfully completed the Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing on the 13^th of April at the Marketers Hub.

The two programs are offered by the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe, the ZimChartered Marketing certificate being the highest qualification for marketers in the country.

Present at the graduation ceremony of the two programs were MAZ Executive Secretary , Mr Gillian Rusike, MAZ president Professor Zororo Muranda as the guest of honour and MAZ Head of Academics, Mr Godfrey Dube as the guest speaker.

Giving welcome remarks, Mr Rusike began by giving the guests a short insight on how MAZ started and how they came up with the ZimChartered Status along with Mr Dube

“As soon as I wrote my vision down he was the first person whose door I knocked on and said sir let’s have an organisation for the marketing profession. He supported the idea and from there the journey began.

We started moving around companies encouraging them to join our organisation and ever since then, we have been together for almost 14 years with him and we really appreciate him,” said Mr Rusike.

 “When we started this organisation, we asked why the queen of England is the only person who knighted  people and why can’t we also charter our own marketers hence we just told ourselves we will have our own Chartered Marketers,” he said.

Mr Rusike also acknowledged the President Professor Zororo Muranda who has studied Marketing to the highest level.

MAZ Head of Academics and guest speaker, Mr Dube encouraged the ZimChartered graduates to be confident, articulate and presentable.

“It starts with the dressing and your speech. As a ZimChartered Marketer, it is all about how you present yourself, and it is not only about the academics and the degrees. It is about your appearance and how others view you as well possessing strong communication skills.

‘And with all that you will be representing the MAZ brand,” said Mr Dube.

Mr Dube said MAZ was proud to be the leader in providing career and personal development initiatives that keep Zimbabwe at par with other regional countries.

“It is our greatest aim to have more students who graduate with us as we also had our marketing practitioner status and sales practitioner status graduation early this year,” he said.

The ZimChartered program had a total of 13 graduates, four females and nine males.

Mr Dube also congratulated the Digital Marketers who successfully completed the six months program.

“And I’m proud to say that this class has 140 graduates and amongst them 7 are from Zambia,” said Mr Dube.

Professor Zororo Muranda had some encouraging words he shared with the graduates.

“Success does not come easily, you have to prepare yourself. You also have to keep learning as the world is evolving each and every day. Yesterday’s strategy may not work tomorrow so keep abreast with the latest trends in your respective fields,’ said Prof Muranda.

He said Marketers Association of Zimbabwe had gone out there to look for the best facilitators for all its programs.

The event saw a number of testimonials from the ZimChartered students and Digital Marketing students appreciating their SME mentorship as well as the Marketers association of Zimbabwe for the two programs.

“The Chartered marketer was an eye opener, break through to me and I would really recommend it to anyone because as a young manager I was really frustrated by the number guys who would turn down most of my ideas but going through the Zimchartered marketer it taught me how to handle this fight. I learnt that if I can measure it, then I can manage it and justify it, I really I appreciate this thank you Mr Zindonda and Rose (MAZ training personnel),” said Steven Mhizha.

“A Digital marketing graduate, Gamuchirai Sagonda said: “When we started I remember being told to get ready for the pressure and I thought they were just telling us to prepare but as time went by I felt the heat and it really helped to be who I am today and I’m really looking forward to enrolling with the Zimchartered and become like those sitting in front. Thank you,” said Sagonda.

Codchem sponsored the graduation ceremony with gifts and a cake for the graduates and guests.

After the speeches the graduates received their certificates and had a photo shoot session.

The Zimchartered Marketer program is a prestigious status that seek to consolidate theory into practice through mentorship of a small to medium enterprise, while also imparting consultancy skills to the participants.

 The program is divided into two phases; the modules and the practical. Four modules namely New Media and Data Analytics, Change Management and Leadership Management, Advanced Strategic Marketing and Marketing Metrics & Emerging Trends. They are also required to do assignments for each module and an industrial Analysis of your current industry.

The Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing (PCDM) course is an online 6 months course where students attend 1 lesson per week. The classes are held on the Zoom platform for the duration of the program.