IAB is excited to announce the launch of its newest Center of Excellence – Professional Development and Education Center. IAB’s Centers of Excellence are formed to provide essential industry guidance, organize effective solutions to pressing challenges, and rally industry professionals around the continued growth and progress of the Centers’ key areas of focus.
Many industries, including our own, are still grappling with balancing an effective return to office policy with employees nearly mandating their hybrid work schedule. Throughout this new hybrid work set up, Gen Z is quickly entering the workforce and will make up 27% of it by 2025*. Many of these new professionals have only ever known virtual work, having finished their education in the throes of a global pandemic.
On the opposite end, Baby Boomers are set to hit retirement age in record numbers over the next 3 years**. As those professionals with 30+ years of experience leave the workforce, they will take with them valuable knowledge and experience that risks not being transferred down due to the current hybrid work structure post-pandemic. Younger employees with high leadership potential will miss the opportunity to be cultivated by this previous generation – organizations need to develop and activate a plan to ensure their continued success through this impending transition.
As the cherry on top, the digital media industry continues to evolve at breakneck speed as technology advances, privacy regulations expand, and AI shakes up how we work. These numerous and varied challenges present strong opportunities; our organizations must make a concerted effort to train, support, and cultivate our talent so they can bring continued success and growth to our industry. The mission of IAB’s Professional Development and Education Center is to be a resource for your organization as you tackle these challenges, providing critical training and development opportunities.
To lead the new Center in this effort, IAB has elevated Matthew Renne to Vice President, Professional Development and Education. In his new position, Matthew will oversee the full suite of the IAB Professional Development and Education Center’s products and services spanning all digital media sectors. His top priorities include enhancing existing curriculum, launching new programs tailored to high-growth areas, fostering an inclusive industry community, and cultivating a network of leaders committed to developing informed and agile industry professionals in the face of rapid industry, workplace, and workforce change.
Some of the high growth areas the IAB has rallied around are retail media, gaming, and the creator economy – with multiple pieces of research, guidelines, and best practices developed to support them. Our Professional Development and Education Center has recently launched dedicated trainings to keep you in the know, in the know, including Introduction to Retail Media and Gaming 360, with a creator economy course slated to launch mid-2024.
To learn more about the Professional Development and Education Center and all its programming, please join us at our upcoming Info Session on Tuesday, May 7th from 1-2pm EST. We’ll discuss the current and upcoming training courses, the relaunch of our Professional Development Council, and more exiting updates coming throughout 2024. You may register for the event here.
Register for the Info Session
*Zurich Insurance Group 2024
** Forbes 2024
