Focused Project Management

NWP believes in the power of practical experience. In addition to introducing students to the world beyond campus, collaborative community projects help reveal strengths, skills, and character. With this in mind, every year NWP’s Project Management course empowers students to create an event, manage all the details, and see it through to the end. Making the process even more meaningful, students are asked to select a notfor-profit that they would like to support and create a fundraising event for that organization.

In 2022/23, one group focused their efforts on the Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention. NWP students successfully organized a 5 km awareness walk. Along with maps outlining the route through the trails at Muskoseepi Park, the team arranged tables with water, Gatorade, and granola bars. Following the walk, participants took part in a yoga session hosted by the student organizers. The event was so successful that the Executive Director of the Centre for Suicide Prevention approached the instructor of the class to discuss making this an annual event.

Spreading the Word

Upon completing Northwestern Polytechnic’s Advertising and Promotion course, students walk away well versed in the different creative avenues required to be successful in promotion and advertising.

This past year, students partnered with Big Blue Bird Alcohol-Free. This innovative Edmonton-based business curates a selection of Canadian non-alcoholic beer, which are then packaged into one convenient box for the customer.

The students applied their business analysis skills and discovered what was truly unique about this company. They unpacked the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle and ran with it.

Working closely with Big Blue Bird Alcohol-Free, the students developed a marketing and brand plan. This included establishing a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. Using their research on the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle, they also developed videos and other content to share on their new social channels.

The students also created a website from scratch using what they had learned in previous digital marketing classes. NWP students had the opportunity to manage a project and their client, create an advertising campaign, and get creative in a team environment. It was win-win with students gaining experience and the new business getting support from soon-to-be professionals.

Digital World

The social media landscape is ever-changing. To keep up with the continual evolution, NWP’s strategic digital marketing courses must be adaptable, anticipatory, and connected to community.

An essential part of the learning experience is getting students out into the marketplace and applying their classroom learning to a living, breathing, thriving, business. On that note, last semester NWP students partnered with a local bakery, The Best Bread, which frequently has a booth set up at the Grande Prairie Farmers’ Market.

NWP students provided a helping hand to this grassroots business by redesigning their entire marketing campaign. Using digital technology, they highlighted the artistry and effort that go into creating The Best Bread’s bread and jams. Students worked to enhance the bakery’s social platforms by creating videos showcasing their unique techniques and processes. Content was then shared across various social media platforms and a TikTok account for the business was launched.

In Fall 2022, marketing students were tasked with a potentially life changing project. The town of Beaverlodge was in need of doctors and the next generation of digital professionals stepped up with a targeted campaign to help share the unique qualities of the area. This is yet another example of workintegrated-learning at its finest. Through our School of Business, NWP is delivering great practical and life lessons.