The future of marketing training is dynamic and exciting, shaped by emerging technologies, evolving consumer behaviours, and the need for adaptable skill sets.
Here, Veronica Swindale, nesma MD and Paul Sutherland, Commercial Director, share why, after 15 years, nesma remains the go-to training company for marketing, digital marketing, and communications professionals.
Here are their top five observations on how nesma has evolved to ensure its teaching and delivery continues to meet the needs of practitioners today.
1 – Marketing training must be flexible
We all have busy lives, and it can sometimes be hard to think about starting a professional training course. The learning packages nesma offers enable you to access them more easily when and where you wish—all of them are facilitated online—all year round and can be completed within as little as six weeks, which helps you to navigate the peaks and troughs of your working year. As you can choose from various awards, qualifications, and masterclasses, you can create a customised learning path to build a unique skill set to align with your experience, interests, and career aspirations and tailor it to your specific needs and interests. For employers, flexible training often incorporates real-world projects and case studies, enabling their teams to apply what they have learned to their jobs immediately. This practical approach enhances retention and ensures the skills learned are relevant and applicable.
2 – We need to be creative and share ideas
Developing our learning and critical thinking skills is crucial in a world where AI threatens to dominate. Our courses are led by expert tutors who share their academic and practitioner experiences and facilitate course discussions. This unique setup allows you to learn from them and your peers, who could be anywhere in the world. This global peer interaction significantly enriches your learning experience, especially if you work from home and lack the benefit of regular office interactions. Exercising creativity and sharing ideas is a natural energiser! It will inspire and motivate you to push boundaries and explore new possibilities, promoting innovation and leading to ongoing optimisation of marketing and communication efforts for the employer.
3 – Our attention spans are shortening
The new syllabus launched by the Chartered Institute of Marketing this month comes with new content that is more aligned with the current marketing landscape, including topics such as digital marketing, data analytics, and consumer behaviour. It is also delivered in smaller chunks than before, with more frequent exam windows allowing you more opportunity to get started. Plus, there are no more lengthy assignments to work away at. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations qualifications remain assignment-based for the time being. With the rapid pace of technological advancement, this type of quick-fix skills training enables employers to upskill or reskill effectively in response to changing job requirements and market demands. It also helps to remove many of the traditional barriers to access.
4 – Employers need more from their employees and happily invest in their learning and development
We value the commitment of employers to their employees’ learning and development. That’s why around 80% of our learners are sponsored by their employers. They understand that a highly skilled marketing team gives the company a competitive edge. Whether studying at A-level or pursuing a master’s level qualification, we believe in recognising and rewarding learning. Our new learning management system allows individual learners to record their work and gain recognition for their achievements. We’re not just about securing qualifications but also about driving skills for the workplace and ensuring that your learning journey is both meaningful and impactful. It is well-documented that employers should foster a culture of continuous learning and personal growth that focuses on skills and knowledge relevant to the company’s needs. Employers also benefit from enhanced performance and productivity as skilled marketers are better equipped to meet business objectives, drive results, and contribute to the company’s overall success.
5 – Employers need help with their Learning and Development strategies for their employees
Looking at your team’s skill gaps can be challenging but crucial for growth and success. When evaluating your team, there’s a risk of bias towards their strengths and overlooking their weaknesses. It’s essential to approach this assessment with objectivity and honesty. Therefore, employers are turning to us to help them identify what skills their organisation will need over the next few years and to help map their team’s current skillset against those needs. We do this by immersing ourselves in a comprehensive skills assessment, where we analyse your team’s current skills and compare them to the future needs of your organisation. It will highlight the skills gaps we can work with you to address. Our solutions may be our in-house programmes, accredited CIM, CIPR and SOSTAC® programmes or something more bespoke, which can be delivered in-house or online depending on your teams’ location. Our vast network of associate partners can support any outlying skills requirements.
All these trends are at the forefront of nesma’s ongoing development in their training offer, which ensures that our courses equip you with the most up-to-date and relevant skills.
Call Veronica or Paul now for nesma’s New Team Skills Review at 07734 222 254 or email hello@nesma.co.uk.
