This month marks the first anniversary of the Webgains Academy.

The Academy launched in October 2017, galvanised by the desire to educate and train the talent of today.

Demand for digital skills shows no signs of slowing down with over 50% of the UK’s digital tech community citing a shortage of skilled talent as their primary business concern. But digital skills aren’t just a requirement of tech companies, “All companies are becoming tech companies,” says Jake Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of General Assembly.

Webgains was the first company in the Performance marketing space to openly acknowledge the need for a free platform that aims to support anyone who wants to advance their knowledge. Last year we launched the initiative to support and enhance digital skills, and a year on we are proud to have supported nearly 1,000 learners.

People need a way to learn and upskill that fits into their lives. The Academy is flexible, with a myriad of content to support digital enhancement at all levels. The content ranges from wider marketing and digital concepts to more specialised affiliate knowledge.

Users engaged in the platform range from advertisers, publishers, agencies, mar-tech solutions and even staff from other affiliate networks looking to acquire more knowledge. Over 200 users have completed multiple courses and been awarded certifications.

Our most popular course is the marketing basics module, highlighting the importance of supporting new and junior talent entering digital professions. However, the diversity of users means that more specific course such as “What is Artificial Intelligence?” and “Advance Voucher Code Strategies” are equally popular.

The Academy has been integrated into the digital learning practices both of Webgains staff and our partners. “When new colleagues join ThoughtMix we always use the Webgains Academy for initial training and awareness into affiliate marketing”, says ThoughtMix Managing Director, Steve Bryant.“The Academy is a great addition to our existing training and development processes as it gives our team additional insights and tactics on managing and growing a winning affiliate program. I look forward to seeing the Academy develop in the future!”.

“Webgains Academy has allowed me to build on my existing strategies and improve the day-to-day management of the programme that I look after,” says Account Manager, Aira Reyes. “I love that each lesson is very concise so you can enhance your digital skills in no time. The lessons are full of facts and advice allowing you to quickly identify gaps and generate more revenue. It has given me the confidence to become a trusted advisor.”

Derek Freer, UK Managing Director, says “The Webgains Academy has helped hundreds of people broaden their knowledge in digital. A year on from launching the platform offers a wide spectrum of modules and continues to grow. I’m especially delighted that we’ve been able to support many of our Partners with our most recent course offering advanced strategies for managing a mature affiliate program. And it’s exciting to see the roadmap and what’s to come, particularly as we expand our Webgains Academy Events by filming the content and making it even more accessible.”

As the Academy celebrates it’s first birthday the desire to take a more flexible and modern approach to learning continues. The platform now offers six courses, each with a program of lessons tailored to users. Webgains is leading the charge to support learning and development, helping the UK to close the digital skills gap.

What started as a vision to empower and develop employees has now become a reality through the Webgains Academy.