IDM holds 'biggest graduation ceremony yet'

Amanda Rogers, qualifications director at the IDM, said: "We've always found that in times of an economic downturn people start moving jobs more often or move into different areas. If they gain extra qualifications they are then able to move up the career ladder. We are able to hold our own during times like these, this has been our biggest graduation ceremony yet."

The IDM offers eight different qualifications. A few of these are accessible online. Rogers said: "We are aiming to expand our portfolio over the next year. We get very good feedback from our online courses and a number of companies, especially overseas, have requested that more courses become available online."

Direct and Interactive Diploma graduate, Alice Harper is brand manager at World Vision. She said: "It was challenging to balance the course with full-time employment but it's great that you can apply what you learn to your work during the day. The course has given me more confidence within marketing and also the tools to help me produce the best direct campaigns I can."