The low-cost category will give students access to most of the benefits of IMM membership, including opportunities to network with the top marketing brains in the country.
There are two categories of student membership: the first, costing R100 per year, applies to students registered with the IMM’s Graduate School of Marketing (GSM), or studying at any of its accredited tuition centres. The second category is open to any other marketing student at a registered tertiary institution in southern African countries, and costs only R250 per year.
This compares highly favourably to the full membership fee of R600 per year.
According to the IMM’s Executive Director, John Arnesen, the new categories have been introduced to assist new graduates find their feet in the marketing industry: "We are very conscious that students and recent graduates do not have a great deal of disposable income. These categories will give them an opening to the IMM’s many services in the early stages of their careers, until they are in a position to become full members."
The IMM offers a full set of services in the development of a marketing career, including:
Apart from its existing Chartered Marketer programme (aimed at NQF levels 7-8), the IMM is developing a programme of certifying marketers in junior and middle management (ie levels 5 and 6 on the NQF). Once on stream, marketers wanting to find employment in South Africa will find IMM certification a prerequisite, as this will be recognised by the Services SETA as a measure of competency.
