11079: Mad Ave’s Digital Divide.

The 4As will present “Building a Digital Training Program” in April. The event’s description is nothing short of hilarious:

Advertising currently faces an epidemic of digital illiteracy. Several generations of professionals have been left behind. Where do they go to learn? For the past decade, employers have underinvested in formal education for employees. Most learn on the job. But many professionals have not advanced their thinking, knowledge or skills to keep pace with technology.

What a human tragedy. The Ad Council has clearly missed another opportunity to bridge the digital divide in our society. It should be noted, however, that the true digital divide is the poverty divide. The “epidemic” on Madison Avenue is merely a mix of ignorance, arrogance and laziness. The 4As workshop is allegedly intended for participants including “change-makers and other leadership-types” in the industry. Um, why would a change-maker or leadership-type be associated with a digitally clueless agency?

Building a Digital Training Program

When: April 25, 2013 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM EST

Where: 4As

Advertising currently faces an epidemic of digital illiteracy. Several generations of professionals have been left behind. Where do they go to learn? For the past decade, employers have underinvested in formal education for employees. Most learn on the job. But many professionals have not advanced their thinking, knowledge or skills to keep pace with technology. This workshop explores ways to design educational programming to infuse digital literacy across your agency.

Overview

When it comes to ever-changing digital tools and platforms, people don’t know what they don’t know, even if they know they need to know more. Still, ignorance or fear may keep your staff from raising their hands to get the help they need, or budgets may limit the kinds of training you can make available.

This workshop helps agency leaders understand the components of building an internal training program leveraging skills and competencies they already have on staff to address gaps in learning elsewhere in their organizations.

You will learn ways to assess your staff’s digital skill levels, gather “buy-in” from the top, use data to shape programming, and gather external and internal talent to instruct and plan a comprehensive program for ongoing digital learning. Become a part of the growing agency movement in talent investment through education and cultural change.

Who Should Attend

• Learning and development staff

• HR

• Department and team leaders

• Change-makers and other leadership-types