The findings of the study aim to present a comprehensive view of the digital marketing skills gaps across the country.

Input from digital marketers throughout South Africa is crucial for the evolution and growth of the profession in the face of unprecedented times, says the duo. 

They add that this information will inform the IAB South Africa Education Council in order to fulfill its goal of enriching the lives of members and communities through educational initiatives.

It will additionally assist the the professional development and enhancement of digital marketing skills, knowledge and diversity across the industry.

"The aim of the survey is to consolidate the views and needs of all stakeholders to inform current and future skills needs. [It also aims to] empower educational institutions, inform learners on career opportunities and skills evolution and ensure that businesses have access to a sufficient skills pool to thrive," says Joey Khuvutlu, IAB South Africa Education Council chairperson and MD of Hello Computer JHB.

"There have been a number of skills gap surveys that have been conducted by various institutions and organisations in the recent past, but what we found was that these surveys, while valuable, were targeted at a limited audience," adds Khuvutlu.

"The result was a limited view of the actual skills gaps. As the IAB South Africa and through our member base, we have access to stakeholders across the digital marketing and advertising landscape, including brands and their marketing departments, agencies, publishers and educational institutions," concludes Khuvutlu. 

The report will be compiled with the aim to:
  • equip IAB members and the industry as a whole to prepare and educate their teams for the future
  • provide an in-depth understanding of the current skills and knowledge gaps in the South African digital marketing industry
  • enable educational institutions to better inform their offerings with the goal of ensuring learners are adequately equipped with the necessary skills and ensure that education and training offerings are valuable and relevant
  • inform IAB South Africa Education Hub content, and
  • guide future IAB South Africa digital marketing and advertising education programmes.
All digital marketing professionals and industry members are encouraged to participate in the survey. All data will remain anonymous.

The survey will run until Tuesday, 1 December and can be accessed here. Participants are encouraged to contact [email protected] should they have any questions.

For more information, visit www.iabsa.net. You can follow IAB South Africa on Facebook or on Twitter.