Demand for digital marketers continues to intensify
A new report commissioned by O2 has revealed that the skills gap currently taking place in the digital marketing industry could end up costing the UK up to £2bn a year.
A new report commissioned by O2 has revealed that the skills gap currently taking place in the digital marketing industry could end up costing the UK up to £2bn a year.
A new report commissioned by O2 has revealed that the skills gap currently taking place in the digital marketing industry could end up costing the UK up to £2bn a year.
The data, collected by Development Economics, reveals that to successfully support the growing digital economy, Britain will need around 750,000 skilled digital workers by 2017.
The report suggests that the Government and education system should invest more in digital education in schools if the skills gap is to be successfully plugged.
Opportunities to nurture young talent in the industry are increasing however, with companies such as Agilisys Arch beginning to offer a number of digital marketing apprenticeship roles for school-leavers, and Squared Online, the Google and Home Learning College partnership, presenting an exciting opportunity for graduates interested in digital marketing to equip themselves with the tools necessary to deal with future advancements in the industry via the sophisticated online course.
Ronan Dunne, chief executive of O2, spoke to the Telegraph, commenting: “Now more than ever before, digital offers the chance to drive sustained economic recovery, but this will only be realised if we become a nation of digitally confident businesses with a digitally literate workforce.
“Businesses must proactively seek out opportunities to collaborate to maximise the digital growth opportunity and harness the potential of the next generation. As digital natives, young people possess valuable skills that will be the future fuel of our economy, but not enough is being done to harness them.”
Not suprised by this. I left marketing about a year ago but kept my job alert emails from job boards going just in case.
There is a steady stream of digital marketing work across the UK.
after 11 months unemployment, im not surprised. clients what marketers to be web developers, receptionists, UX experts and to ensure world peace. whilst only paying them the same as a grad. this is why there is a lack of digital marketers.
Completely agree, the scope of knowledge that employers expect whilst paying a pittance is pretty shocking. Some roles look enticing but the salary just does not reflect value in skills.
Totally agree. In fact, they want the marketers to ensure the world peace first, before even starting the job. Then be a developer, then a receptionist, then a UX expert and then – if you had a couple of minutes left – you can be a marketer.
[…] Home Learning College, it is hoped the trend in more formalised training will help plug the future skills gaps that are predicted to emerge in the industry,which will see Britain need around 750,000 skilled […]
I am glad to see Digital finally being embraced by much larger group. I have been in Digital Advertising the past 5 years, I started at the very bottom (no college degree) as a Marketing Asst. making cold calls and writing RFPs, and steadily worked my way into Digital as I began to work alongside the Digital Specialist the company I worked for at the time had employed. She was my first mentor in the field, and to this day we continue to ping ideas and Digital Advertising philosophies and strategics off one another. I have since grown into a role as an Analyst for a major Healthcare IT Corporation and for 3 years was the Owner of a small Digital consulting firm (5 employees not including myself) but can honestly say that embracing myself in Digital Advertising was one of the best career decisions I ever made.
Whenever we’re in a Recession the “skills gap” debate resurfaces, so I have gone out of my way to retrain, with the end result being “you might have the knowledge, but you don’t have the experience”. I have just completed my CIM Dip in Digital Marketing, and again I am hitting the same brick wall, so it might be back to the pointless B2B telemarketing till I hit retirement. The U.K. is only capable of chasing it’s own tail and firefighting it’s way down the economic slope.