The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Australia has picked up the baton of digital skills and released training programs to address the industry shortage.

The program includes courses on key digital marketing topics, a series of educational events and a training listing service for the industry.

While the digital industry continues its rapid growth it’s clear that there is a skills gap, according to CEO of IAB Australia, Paul Fisher.

“The plans and resources will go some way in helping to educate the market and improving the skills of advertisers, agencies and publishers.

“In our position as the peak digital advertising industry association, representing members on both the buy and sell side of the industry, the IAB is in a unique position to offer objective, up-to-date, quality training that incorporates the latest IAB research, standards, guidelines and best practices.”

Research conducted by the IAB in August among 600 industry representatives found understanding of key digital marketing topics sits at a higher level than the practical skills required to implement them. 82% of respondents indicated they would prefer small, face-to-face, out of office classes and the top requested training topics include mobile display advertising, mobile sites and apps, strategic planning, integration/ cross-media, measurement and tracking, display advertising, building brands online and social media marketing.

The primary goal is to provide the marketing industry with the practical skills and understanding required to make buying and selling digital advertising easier. It will be delivered in partnership with The Knowledge Engineers (TKE) – a global IAB partner new to the Australian market – in a series of six open courses.

Future phases of the program may add certification and eLearning streams, depending on the success and interest in our initial plans.

The first of the courses will be held in February 2013. Full details of the courses and the training listing service can be found on the newly launched IAB website.