Career development

We have had a very robust Continuous Professional Development Standard since 1999:

• A plan linking training to business objectives.
• An onboarding programme for all new joiners.
• A thorough appraisal system, at least one chance a year to discuss your career, although many agencies now have regular feedback sessions.
• 24 hours (or pro rata) of development activity completed per person per year, minimum.
• 15% of staff must hold a mandatory qualification: LegRegs Certificate, Commercial Essentials Certificate, Effectiveness Essentials Certificate.

Its robustness is validated via:

• CPD records for every person
• CPD Review visits
• CPD Gold Accreditation

And our professionalism is recognised via our Royal Charter.

Starting your career

In your first year you will probably all take The Foundation Certificate to provide the same foundation of knowledge for new entrants to the advertising industry no matter the size, location or type of company.

More than 18,000 people have sat this exam from countries as wide-ranging as Ireland, Australia, Slovenia, Canada, South Africa, Portugal, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia, India, Japan and UAE. It is therefore an instant ‘passport’ for careers globally.

You will:

• Gain an essential overview of all areas of advertising.
• Understand consumers, their motivations and how to influence purchasing decisions through the science of choice.
• Learn how to write strategies that sell, the roles of different media, how to use data and how to measure the success of your work.
• Earn the confidence to perform your role with expertise.

View the full Foundation Certificate syllabus of 30 hours of learning and a two-hour exam.

If you are an apprentice you will receive a thorough training programme aligned to that where at least 20% of your time is spent learning off the job. 

If you are a graduate there will probably be a special learning programme for you which may involve rotating through different departments. 

There are also many ways to learn more about things you value such as Diversity and Inclusion (e.g. Diversity & Inclusion Essentials) and Sustainability (e.g. AdNetZero Essentials) both through the IPA and bodies such as The Advertising Association.

Most will benefit from mentoring, both in an agency or through external programmes. 

The first years of your career

In your first few years, you will probably take qualifications and courses specific to your role e.g.

Account Management – Commercial Essentials, Account Handling Essentials, People Management Essentials

Account Planning/Strategists: Effectiveness Essentials

Production: LegRegs Essentials

Media Planner: Media Research Essentials, Digital Performance Essentials Certificate

At mid-senior level

At mid-senior level there is still so much to learn:

Account Management: IPA Excellence in Business, Advanced Leadership and Delegation

Producers:  Production Essentials Certificate

Media: Advanced Certificate in Communications Planning

Planners/Strategists: Advanced Certificate in Effectiveness, Excellence Diploma in Brands

At senior level

But we believe in lifelong learning and so there are knowledge and skills which need to be available to senior employees:

Courses and quals for the board, department heads, the C suite: EffWorks Global, Excellence in Leadership Course, Business Growth Conference.

Other training providers

All these examples are just a selection of what is available via the IPA, there are many excellent providers with whom your agency will work, for example:

• NABs – particularly good for resilience and stress-busting information and courses; plus Fast Forward, a ‘pitch’ course for all disciplines around 18 months; and mentoring for many targeted groups.
• D&AD - Global Association for Advertising and Design – all things creative related.
• The APG – for planners and strategists.
• The Advertising Association – the Media Business Course and many sustainability education tools.