Tammy Sutherland, Managing Editor

Making the right career choice in this competitive job market is an increasingly difficult task.

But for Tammy Sutherland, graduate of the Book + Magazine Publishing program, you might say her decision to enter the fast-paced, challenging and rapidly evolving world of publishing was an easy one. 

"I have always been a writer and I made my own newspapers on a little manual typewriter that my parents bought when I was just a child," says Sutherland, Managing Editor for Redwood Custom Communications' CAA Magazine.

"I also remember buying my very first magazine when I was only 11 years old," Sutherland says. "I have been a magazine junkie ever since."

In less than four years since graduating, she has progressed from intern, to assistant editor, to associate editor to managing editor and is now responsible for managing the workflow a quarterly publication with a circulation of approximately 1.5 million across Ontario and the Maritimes.

Fast-paced Magazine Industry

When asked to describe a typical day at the office Sutherland responds, "it's busy!"

At any given moment Sutherland may be getting a manuscript from a freelancer; seeing layouts of other pages for the first time; finalizing other pages to send out to the client; receiving feedback from the clients; and bringing final pages to the production department.

With four separate versions of the magazine, for four different CAA zones, "there are a lot of pages going around at any given time," Sutherland says.

Sutherland's advice for aspiring publishers?

Even though the online revolution means creating unique interactive experiences for readers, Sutherland suggests that the most important skills will always be the same. You have to be able to work under pressure and adhere to deadlines. You have to be detail-oriented and work well with a team. But first and foremost, you have to love language.

Real World Work Experience

Sutherland credits her time at Centennial, and especially her six-week internship at Canadian Living Magazine, as being an important step.

"The internship that ended the program was a key stepping stone into the professional world," Sutherland says.

The program was focused towards the end goal and the most important thing she took away was the "collective joy of my classmates for the world of book and magazines," Sutherland says.

"When you're surrounded by likeminded people pursuing a similar goal, you can't help but be inspired, encouraged and driven to achieve that goal."

For more information on the Book and Magazine Publishing Program, contact Denise Schon at dschon@centennialcollege.ca.