NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Assembly (GA) today announced the formation of an employer-led Digital Marketing Standards Board, which aims to increase transparency and access to careers within the fast-growing field of digital marketing. Designed to foster collaboration at a time when employers compete for digital marketing talent, the Standards Board will identify and define skills required for success, commission skill-based assessments, and establish performance thresholds for workforce-relevant credentials.

The number of job postings calling for digital marketing skills has nearly doubled in the last five years; now, four in 10 marketing job openings seek candidates with digital skills. These jobs take 16% longer to fill than traditional marketing jobs and offer a $7,000 salary premium.

"Pervasive skill and equity gaps in digital marketing reflect two related challenges: lack of unbiased tools to help employers quantify and understand the skill sets that matter, and inadequate transparency for job-seekers trying to understand what employers are looking for," said Jake Schwartz, CEO and co-founder of General Assembly. "Over the last two years, we've had a team working behind the scenes with employers to create authentic, standardized assessments that measure the combination of skills that are required for success in the digital marketing profession."

"As a company recognized as a school of marketing, it's a priority for us to drive the transformation of marketing in the digital era by allowing current and prospective employees to benchmark themselves globally," said Marie Gulin-Merle, Chief Marketing Officer of L'Oréal USA. "We're excited to partner with the Standards Board to drive the profession forward while engaging top talent." 

The work of the Standards Board will be rooted in the development and maintenance of industry-standard assessments, designed to predict job performance and match capabilities of job-seekers through the simulation of workplace demands. Employers can utilize data from assessments, already taken by thousands of employees worldwide, to quantify competencies of employees and job-seekers across a range of dimensions.

"Digital marketers must master a broad range of skills — from user experience to media valuation — in order to navigate an increasingly fragmented network of potential consumer touchpoints," said Matthew DelRe, Director of Cross Product Solutions at Google. "As the demand for these skills continues to grow, it is critical for industry leaders to come together and create clear pathways to help aspiring marketing professionals invest in the skills they need."

The Standards Board will also publish skill maps to make career pathways more transparent. By mapping the competencies required for success on the job, employers intend to expand the pool of talent and increase the diversity of candidates pursuing careers within the digital marketing field.

Members of the Digital Marketing Standards Board include: Matt DelRe, Director of Cross Product Solutions, Google; Marie Gulin-Merle, CMO, L'Oréal USA; Ben Harrell, SVP of Brand & Digital Marketing, Priceline; Gail Horwood, SVP of Integrated Marketing, Kellogg; Micky Onvural, Co-President, Bonobos; Seth Rogin, CEO, Nucleus; Geoff Sanders, VP of Marketing, Betterment; Andrew Stephen, Associate Dean of Research and L'Oréal Professor of Marketing, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford; Joy Howard, CMO, Sonos; Greg Butler, VP of Miller Brands, MillerCoors; and Joseph Thompson, CMO, BuildDirect Technologies.

Standards boards are needed to increase transparency and access to career opportunities in a wide range of emerging fields. In addition to the Digital Marketing Standards Board, General Assembly is working to bring together leaders across high-demand fields including data science and more.

About General Assembly
General Assembly (GA) is advancing the future of work by equipping individuals and corporations alike with the most in-demand 21st-century skills. Offering training and assessments in web development, data science, digital marketing, and more, GA is building transparent career pathways for people, and sustainable, diverse talent pipelines for employers. With 20 locations, immersive online offerings, onsite trainings for the Fortune 500, and a global community of professionals nearly 1 million strong, GA is the leading source for training, staffing, and career transitions.

SOURCE General Assembly