The wheels of change never stop moving within digital and marketing. In fact, these wheels are what has driven innovation and new thinking across the sector for decades. That being said, recent shifts in the marketplace have accelerated change at an almost unprecedented rate. Whilst the growth of technology creates huge opportunities for reaching consumers and growing businesses, it also brings with it challenges of keeping pace with regards to skills.

Whilst the headlines are dominated by news of AI and automation and the workplace of the future, it is clear that the current workforce is still getting to grips with technology and tactics that have been in the marketplace for many years. From programmatic buying and SEO to data science and analytics, there are still huge skills gaps within digital and marketing teams - and too few people to fill them. Significant changes in legislation, such as GDPR, have also served to widen the gap.

This situation is posing a real problem to hiring managers and talent teams: a skills gap across multiple levels and sectors. To address this issue and to provide guidance for marketers, HR specialists and agencies across the sector, CIM hosted two roundtable debates led by Mark Lawson-Jones, business director, Page Executive; Daniel Rowles, CEO, Target Internet and Gemma Butler, director of marketing, CIM.

Please see below two whitepapers detailing the conclusions of these events:

Bridging the Digital Marketing Skills Gap: How to Win the War for Top Talent

Future-Proof Marketing: How to Build a Team Ready for Tomorrow