The competition for talent in the workplace has never been as intense as it is now. Highly skilled employees are greatly sought after, and businesses need to entice and retain the best candidates with workplace perks, flexibility, and attractive remuneration packages, coupled with training and development programs.

At ANZ, we began work in 2019 revolutionising the way we approach growth and development, recognising the need to develop an in-house capability program for our staff through the introduction of the Marketing Masters program and Brand Academy workshops. These were formulated to help upskill ANZ’s marketing teams, delivering a program that would support Australia’s leading marketers. With changes to the work environment over the last couple of years and the demand for future-ready skills, this program has become even more valuable.

As marketing evolves, through the increased use of data, personalisation and online marketing, the skills a marketer needs have changed. While storytelling will remain at the core of a great marketer, the ability to interpret and interrogate data and understand its implications is changing the set of tactics used to implement a campaign. Artificial intelligence and algorithm literacy are examples of areas that will require marketers to upskill in order to harness their power.

It is with these insights that ANZ designed the My Mastery Review, where marketers assess their skills across 21 key technical capabilities unique to marketing to understanding where they can focus their learning.  This robust framework enables individuals to accurately identify and target growth opportunities, as well as assist in mapping a pathway for future development and career aspirations. 

Recognising that people will be at different levels of mastery, relevant to their experience, the My Mastery Review assessment is a tool that identifies skills across four levels. As marketers upskill, they will progress through the levels of mastery, beginning at emerging and seeking to become visionary where relevant to that particular role type.

For ANZ marketers, a huge shift has occurred whereby learning is more targeted and strongly aligned to the current and future capabilities required to keep up with the pace of this industry.  The introduction of specialised in-house courses and programs has been developed to support this shift and career development.

With the need to make learning more accessible, the self-directed learning component is more important than ever, allowing staff to be empowered and motivated to consume learning on their terms and grow their capabilities through knowledge, skills and experience. Recognising how important development is, ANZ emphasises the need for staff to dedicate time to implement their own training and development plan.

Our Brand Academy workshops, with four of these endorsed and recognised by AMI, support the development and capability uplift of ANZ’s marketing staff. Marketers can select workshops that address the skills they seek to grow, directly supporting their goals to assist their career development.

Partnering with AMI has provided ANZ’s marketers with a range of opportunities to access Brand Academy modules and have their skills recognised. For any employee, completing these modules that are externally recognised is a significant career asset.

The ability to be an accredited Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) is an important industry recognition for marketers, for ANZ employees made possible through the partnership with AMI. The industry recognition of CPMs will continue to grow and demonstrate to potential employers the commitment and dedication marketers have made to their careers. It will become a stamp of authority for many marketers.

As technology supports the changing needs and skills of marketers, it’s also those invaluable non-technical skills and experience which balance our programs and enable marketers to learn across career levels. AMI’s Emerging Marketers Program supports mentors and mentees to connect and share knowledge. For mentors, they have the opportunity to share their experience and knowledge, supporting the industry. Invariably, connecting with less experienced marketers provides opportunities to learn about emerging trends and new possibilities.

The chance to learn from industry leaders and experienced marketers is always a fantastic opportunity for mentees and is part of their learning and development schedule throughout the year. But these (often) digital natives come to the workforce with a range of skills and knowledge that some experienced marketers are still learning. The opportunity to share knowledge both ways in the relationship is a great opportunity for all involved.

For all marketers, growth and development should always remain at the front of their minds when considering individual and collective skills. Starting off each year to map these skills for the future can help to determine career growth, movement and areas to develop. This forward-thinking and planning is important for not only individuals but businesses alike. With these programs and opportunities set up, ANZ is seeking to continually grow marketing capabilities across the team: a mindset of continuous improvement is vital to all planning for the future.

By Sera McNeill, Senior Manager, Customer Centricity and Capability at ANZ