'A little and often': DMA calls for micro-upskilling drive

The DMA is launching a campaign in an effort to address industry-wide skills and talent shortages and fuel future growth in the UK’s digital economy, by urging firms to commit to training their staff from as little as just an hour a week.

The industry body claims this “micro-upskilling” will give staff the direction, support and structure they need as the essential building blocks of a learning culture, arguing that the current skills crisis will only worsen without a culture change, towards continuous, structured learning.

The Open University’s Business Barometer 2022 found over three-quarters (78%) of organisations are seeing reduced output, profitability, or growth due to the impact of the current skills shortages.

DMA managing director Rachel Aldighieri said: “Our community needs to act now to help reduce creative, data and digital skills gaps and talent shortages seen across the UK’s digital economy. We want to futureproof the data-driven marketing industry and fuel economic growth by addressing the current skills crisis.

“A little and often mentality creates a habit that can fit around other responsibilities without damaging productivity – that’s important as technology evolves and professionals increasingly struggle to find the time to upskill.

“It can also allow skills acquisition in the short-term, while instilling a long-term learning habit that benefits the employee and employer.”

The DMA reckons upskilling is also key for talent retention and it cites one recent study which found that 32% of UK employees changed jobs in last 12 months because their employer did not offer training opportunities.

Aldighieri continued: “The DMA is working with our community to introduce micro-upskilling as a key element of membership, to help marketing personnel enhance their skillsets and drive responsible business growth.

“We believe micro-upskilling will help to expand the digital and data-driven marketing skills of the current workforce.”

However, the industry body maintains that the skills crisis is not just the responsibility of business leaders. It claims the Government must deliver a more joined-up, unified National Data Strategy – to showcase the respected careers in marketing that talent with creative, data or digital skills can thrive in.

Aldighieri concluded: “We’d like the Government, supported by industry bodies like the DMA, to take a more proactive role in upskilling and reskilling the nation with core creative, data and digital skills.

“Utilising Government and industry initiatives such as apprenticeship and retraining schemes, we want to drive responsible growth through the professionalisation of our industry.”