The DMA has secured a key victory in its fight for increased funding from the Government to be dedicated to industry-led qualifications with the launch of new Digital Marketing Strategy Skills Bootcamps, funded by the Department for Education through its Skills for Life Programme.
Late last year, the DMA and other industry bodies called for more funding to help fill thousands of immediate job openings; the DfE has now selected the DMA as a partner, to help close the skills gaps that are negatively impacting businesses.
The skills bootcamps are designed to help both aspiring and current marketing talent to upskill and reskill in key areas, while also increasing the pool of skilled talent available to businesses.
The DMA’s skills bootcamps are aimed at helping diverse talent in major UK cities, predominantly those who are either unemployed or working within SMEs, to develop creative, data and digital skillsets, some of the most desirable skills across the marketing industry – to improve their career and employment opportunities.
In addition, unemployed people who complete the programme are guaranteed to secure job interviews with reputable employers.
Launching in London, Bristol and Manchester in September, the scheme is a key part of the DMA’s wider campaign to reduce skills gaps and talent shortages across the UK.
The trade body claims not only will they help people from all backgrounds to upskill and reskill in marketing, but they will also increase the talent pool of skilled workers available to organisations across the UK.
DMA chief executive Chris Combemale said: “Our new skills bootcamps will help organisations and the people who power them to benefit from government-funded upskilling and reskilling opportunities during these extremely challenging economic times. They will help businesses to acquire skilled, diverse talent saving on both training and recruitment costs, while empowering them to boost growth and productivity.
“In addition, they will offer support to people from all backgrounds across the UK, not only helping them to develop highly desirable marketing and digital skills, but to also provide them with crucial links to responsible employers.”
The Skills for Life funding from the DfE supports the DMA’s ongoing initiative, launched in early July, to create a professionalised industry with a culture of continuous, structured learning at its core.
The DMA says its members have been signing up to pilot the organisation’s bitesize learning, for a minimum of an hour per week, to show how micro-upskilling as an additional learning method can help the industry achieve this goal.
Combemale added: “The DMA believes that learning and professional development are integral to tackling skills shortages and improving people’s employment and career prospects.
“There remains a huge opportunity for industry bodies to have a significant role in supporting the government’s upskilling and reskilling initiatives – so we hope that this is only the start of this exciting journey.
“We believe trade and professional bodies are best placed to spearhead these types of programmes with their strong industry connections and understanding of the skills that employers require most.”
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