The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is re-launching its digital marketing training programme - called ‘Progress’ - to address what it says is an ongoing skills shortage in the sector.

The IAB is set to partner with a number of organisations to address what it views are the key shortfalls in talent at the moment. These include online copywriting, search engine optimisation (SEO) in public relations (PR) and ad-related training. It also recently unveiled ‘New to Online’, its introductory handbook to marketing on the Web.

The IAB believes that the digital market is “in the early years of maturity, but there remain a vast number of people that are new to online marketing, or lack the necessary skills or mindset to use the tools available properly.”

So just how deep is the digital marketing skills shortage and how can it be addressed? NMK went in search of answers.

School’s Out

The education system is struggling to keep up with the rapid change in social media, according to Jouko Ahvenainen, co-founder of social intelligence firm Xtract, and needs to adjust to better serve new entrants.

“Marketing has changed so much in the digital age, educators are making it up as they go along and people are learning about the value of social media advertising on the job, not in school,” he said.

Creating an accepted way to measure the impact of viral marketing and social media is essential to highlighting those who have the right skills for the market, Ahvenainen argues.

Real World Experience

Specialmoves is an interactive consultancy offering high-end digital production services to digital and advertising agency clients, as well as directly to brands. The company currently works with the London College of Communication on a scheme called ‘The Elephant’s Den’, where Specialmoves presents to the students working on the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Communications and will then invites them into its office to pitch ideas to its staff, like the BBC TV programme Dragon's Den.

For Gina Russell, Creative Services Director for Specialmoves, this is the best way to learn digital marketing – with a real world experience.

“In my honest opinion I don’t think there is a real shortage of skilled people in the digital sector; what there is a shortage of, is exceptional people,” she told NMK. “As digital is so fast-paced and constantly evolving, people on the ground working in the digital sector must be willing to get involved in these courses. For students learning a language, going to a country full of speakers would improve their skills dramatically, likewise being immersed in a real working environment will bring digital courses to life.”

Risky Business

Aryn Hurst-Clark, co-founder of London-based digital recruitment specialist Bearing Partnership, welcomed the IAB’s endeavours to address the digital skills shortage, but added that many companies may be happy to spend more on experienced digital professionals over training up new, often inexperienced recruits.

“Companies concentrating on their core products and getting the most sales from the ecommerce channel or traffic for advertising won’t risk having someone doing a bit of experimental pay-per-click (PPC) campaigning in the current market conditions – the budgets are too big to make mistakes,” he said.

Hurst-Clark added that it is critical in the current climate that digital experts pick an area and specialise.

“We’re all for training and cross training, but the one thing that people looking to go down these different career channels might want to consider is this: The background you have before you go into a more niche role and get trained up in it must be congruent with the service you will be providing,” he said.

“Whilst a developer may well train up to be a social networking PR expert, they won’t necessarily be seen as so naturally adept as a marketing or PR expert who then trains and dabbles in social networks. It’s still important to couple your background with your ambitions and therefore what training you embark on,” Hurst-Clark concluded.