Junior Marketing Specialist Position:
We are looking for a passionate, enthusiastic, and hard-working Junior Marketing Specialist to join our team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Typical projects include SEO and SEM, AdWords PPC, Social Media Marketing and Advertising, Digital Marketing Campaigns, Graphic Design, Content Writing and, Copywriting.
We are looking for someone who is a team player, takes initiative, and helps our company and clients succeed. Be prepared to wear many hats and learn many skills.
Desired Skills:
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, Project Management, and time management skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Analytical and data-driven marketing skills.
• Experienced in Social Media Marketing and Advertising (Facebook Ads), Marketing & Sales Funnels, Email Marketing.
• Graphic Design Experience: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign; Canva.
• Experience with website design: WordPress (preferably with knowledge in HTML, CSS).
• Experience with creating high converting landing pages.
• SEO: Keyword research, as well as analyze, review, and implement changes to websites to increase the organic search traffic.
• PPC: Experience creating, running, and optimizing Google AdWords and Bing Campaigns.
• Experienced in content writing, blog writing, and copywriting.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office, Google Docs and Sheets, and documentation.
• Certifications in Google Analytics & Google AdWords (or is working towards the certifications

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field.
• 1-2 years’ Marketing experience.
• Passion for all things digital and loves staying up to date with the most current trends within digital marketing.
• Outstanding ability to think creatively, strategically, identifying and resolving problems.
• Super attention to detail and ability to see the big picture of a project.
• High levels of integrity, autonomy, and self-motivation.
• Ability to handle timeline shifts in stride and re-organize priorities accordingly.
• Self-starter and problem solver.
• Ability to analyze data.
• Incredibly organized and detail oriented.
• Amiable personality that is fun to work with and displays positive attitude/energy.
• Honest, reliable, and loyal (doing exactly what you say you will).
• You must be an amazing team player.

Under the GUI is excited to release a staff subsection to our current Highlights series. This week, we are interviewing Isaac! He has been a teacher with us since November, 2013. With his passion for computer science and quirky obsession for muffins, the kids have grown to love and appreciate Isaac. They have even come up with a nickname for him – “Iscack”. [IS-kak]

Aside from teaching at Under the GUI, what do you currently do?
Aside from teaching on Saturdays, I am currently working full-time as a Front-End Web Developer for a company called RESAAS. This is a temporary position for co-op, as I am usually a full time student at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Rumour has it that you are leaving in the spring! What are you going to be doing?
I will be leaving not in the spring but actually this upcoming New Year in January to go to Calgary for my second co-op work term. Unfortunately this means I will not be able to continue helping with classes at Under the GUI.

What do you enjoy about teaching children how to code?
I enjoy the creativity that children bring to the field. When I was growing up, I would always imagine what would make games better, and have all these crazy ideas for games I wanted to make. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one, as some of these kids have some pretty awesome ideas as well.

Has there been a particular moment while interacting with the kids that has stuck out?
I can’t think of any moment that has stuck out prominently, but it is always a pleasure to see the kids figure out something or fix a problem by themselves.

What is coding to you?
Coding for me is like knowing and learning an ever continuous language. The more you know, the better your conversation (with a computer).

How do you hope to incorporate computer programming and coding in your future?
Some day I hope to see more technology incorporated with medical applications to increase the living standard of people around the world. I also hope that I will be able to contribute to it in the near future!

Although we are sad to say goodbye to Isaac, we appreciate all the hard work that he has put into Under the GUI and the learning of the students here. The legacy he has left will be always be imprinted within the coding that the kids create. Farewell Isaac, and best of luck to you in the future!

 

 

This week as part of our Staff Series, we are highlighting Natasha! She has been an instructor with Under the GUI since its early days. As a female computer programmer, our girls are ecstatic to have someone to look up to. Her supportive and bright demeanour makes it easy for the children to adore her while learning code.

Aside from teaching at Under the GUI, what do you currently do?
I am currently studying Computer Engineering at UBC.

What do you enjoy about teaching children how to code?
I love being the first to introduce my students to new concepts. It is the best feeling when they pick up on new concepts, ask questions, and get excited about learning more.

Has there been a particular moment while interacting with the kids that has stuck out?
The greatest moments are when a student comes to me with a question about their game. However, this is not the game we are making in class, but instead a game they have made in their own time. I am so happy and impressed in being able to effectively impart enough knowledge so that these kids are able to go home and make something on their own. What they make on their own is incredible – sometimes using concepts we have not yet covered!

What is coding to you?
Formally defined, coding is the process of creating a set of instructions for a computer to follow. These instructions are written in a language that the computer understands. To me, coding also includes the problem-solving process involved in designing a program.

What was your favourite video game growing up? How about now?
My favourite video game was, is, and probably always will be Pokemon. I have played a game from every generation, and will continue to play them as long as it is continued to be developed. Other games I enjoy are the Legend of Zelda series and Halo, amongst other first-person shooters.

How do you hope to incorporate computer programming and coding in your future?
Seeing as how my degree is in computer engineering, I hope I will be able to make computer programming itself my future. I hope to one day contribute to an application that is used world-wide.