Taking confidence in formalising her knowledge

After more than a decade working in marketing roles for small businesses, Jenaia Clarke (Ngati Tūwharetōa) was motivated to take on a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) with Open Polytechnic so she could back up her practical experience with a formal qualification and take her career to the next level. 

After graduating in 2021, Jenaia worked as Head of Marketing for a financial services firm, and says, after a long learning journey, she could proudly call herself a Marketing Specialist in the financial services sector.  She continued her study journey by completing the Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management in 2023 and in 2024 using this knowledge, launched her own financial advice and investment firm.

Formalising her knowledge

Jenaia first started studying for a Bachelor of Business in 2001, and after taking time off a few years later to have her son, picked it up again in 2021 – all while juggling full-time work and family life.

During her time working in various marketing roles for small businesses and later corporates in the funds management industry, Jenaia says while she had the experience, she knew she would feel more confident in her career if she had the theory and qualifications to back it up.

“I just wanted to get over my ‘imposter syndrome’ and being the person in the room who wasn’t tertiary educated but had all the practical experience. When you're sitting in a room full of young millennials, it’s quite easy to be overcome by this. For me, I just thought I would feel way better if I was qualified.”

After her first few years studying, she chose to major in marketing. “I had been working in marketing roles for years and I just really wanted to get that formal training. I was also more of a generalist having worked in small businesses, so I knew if I wanted to work in the corporate environment, I would really need to specialise, and marketing really excites me.”

Jenaia says understanding the theory behind marketing and being able to apply it directly in her roles has really helped with her confidence and ability to succeed.

“Everything I learned, I was able to apply straight away. Upskilling and understanding the theory has really helped me when it comes to not only my confidence but pitching my ideas. I think it is also knowing the language of marketing – it is now instilled in me and I can speak it when I am talking to clients or in the boardroom. It’s definitely this that has helped me the most being more confident in what I do.” 

“I started marketing contracting for a consulting firm specialising in the financial services sector. I worked with a career coach after being made redundant and she helped me realise that having worked in the funds management industry since 2012, I had a lot of knowledge and experience in a small and highly regulated industry. So, it was better for me to continue to work in that area rather than branch out into other areas or industries. 

“At the time, I could say I was a Marketing Specialist in the financial services sector and that was my focus. I had a number of clients I worked with and when I initially approached them, they were really responsive. It was a nice transition from being made redundant to contracting. Also, it meant too that I could work from home and take my son to school each day and pick him up which was great. I was able to focus on finishing my studies."

Balancing work and study

The flexible nature of Open Polytechnic’s online learning was the best option for Jenaia enabling her to study around her work and family commitments.

“It’s always a juggling act being a Mum, working and studying. Time is always against you, but I tried to balance out my day and as long as I could get a couple of hours study in, usually at the beginning of the day, it wasn't such a struggle when it came to the end of trimester and trying to submit my assessments.” 

Jenaia says, the way the study materials were set out made it easy to access and learn at anytime. “I loved the online format, it's fantastic. Even if I just had half an hour, I could go and do some reading.” 

Looking to the future

Having finished her degree, Jenaia looked at doing further education with Open Polytechnic and completed the Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management in 2023.

“I chose the Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management, because I love leading a team. I believed having both marketing and management behind me would give me a solid footing for reaching my goal to become a marketing leader in a financial services corporate.” 

Jenaia is also passionate about raising financial literacy in New Zealand, with a particular focus on equality for women and Māori.

“I’m a Māori woman in finance and it’s about empowering women to take charge of their finances and understand that making more contributions to KiwiSaver now will make a massive difference to them when they reach retirement. This is such an important issue that I am passionate about and will always bring my voice and expertise too.”

After holding senior leadership roles in financial services Jenaia now runs her own business in Wealth Management called CP Wealth, where she says she uses the knowledge gained from each of her qualifications daily. “These have definitely been a key to my success,” she says. 

Study Advice

Jenaia’s advice to those who are considering study is it is never too late.

“I’ve been working since I was 18 and am now in my forties having finished my first degree and graduate diploma. Retraining now is the perfect time – because you’ve still got 25 years to work and you have all the practical experience behind you which sets you apart from early graduates. So, I think it is never too late to retrain. 

“Also, when you do start studying online, dip your toes in the water first and start off with one course and get really comfortable, then you can ramp it up. Don’t go all in too soon otherwise you just get overwhelmed and won’t continue. You just need to be consistent and realise that you are going to have to forsake sitting on the couch and watching Netflix.

“I have recommended Open Polytechnic to heaps of my friends, colleagues, and employees, because when people have busy lifestyles and can’t commit to physically going to a campus, or are time-poor, it’s the best option!”