The longer view is the strong part of this picture. Australia counts about 105,000 marketing specialists at the moment, and official projections take that group up 22.1% over the decade. In practical terms that works out at about 22,500 extra roles before 2035. Projections describe an entire occupation though, so no single person sits inside that number, and it's a direction rather than an offer. What it does tell you is that the field you'd be joining ends up bigger than the one sitting there today. That's the figure to weigh against a soft year of advertising.
None of the marketing occupations recorded a shortage in 2025. Advertising specialists, market research analysts, content creators and digital marketing analysts were all rated beside marketing specialists, and not one of the five came up short. For desk work that plenty of people want to do, that's the ordinary reading. It does tell you what the competition looks like. Being hard to find won't help you here, so the evidence has to carry it instead. A recognised qualification is part of that, and campaigns you can talk through in detail are the rest.
Most people come into this work through a single qualification. It's BSB40820, the Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication. Enrolments in 2025 reached 8,490 nationally, so employers know what it covers without having to ask. A diploma and an advanced diploma sit above it in the same subject, which makes for a short climb by vocational standards. The courses below take a different shape. Each one pairs an accredited social media diploma with a second qualification, so you end up with two credentials rather than one. Pick the pairing that matches the job you want, because the social media half stays the same either way.
Compare what each one covers, then enquire on the one that fits you. The provider sorts out the details with you directly.
Upgrade your career in digital and social media marketing with the Nationally Recognised Double Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT) + Marketing and Communication (BSB50620).
The Dual Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT) + Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication (BSB40820) can help you advance your digital marketing career.
Become a skilled social media marketer and successful entrepreneur with the Dual Diploma of Social Media Marketing (10904NAT) + Certificate IV in Entrepreneurship and New Business (BSB40320).
What qualification do employers ask for?
The Certificate IV in Marketing and Communication is the recorded way in, and 8,490 people enrolled in it during 2025. A diploma sits above that for people aiming at strategy or leading a team. Degrees turn up in senior marketing jobs, but they aren't the standard entry ticket.
Do these courses cover social media properly?
It's the core of all 3 listings. Every one leads with an accredited social media diploma, then pairs it with marketing and communication, or with entrepreneurship if you're planning to run your own thing. All 3 carry national training codes.
Can I study this while I'm working?
That's how most people here do it. The listings run fully online through one provider, and there's no campus to attend, so study fits around your hours. Fees, intakes and payment options come from the provider, and they'll cover those when you enquire.
Which pairing should I choose?
Match it to the job you want. Social media with marketing and communication tends to suit agency or in house work, while the entrepreneurship pairing suits promoting a business of your own. Course details on both were last confirmed in September 2026.