The 4A’s and IPA Bring Back Award-Winning Training Program for Entry-Level Advertising Professionals in the United States

More Than 10,000 Industry Professionals from More Than 60 Countries Have Achieved This Qualification to Date

NEW YORK—Feb. 3, 2017—On the heels of a successful pilot last year, the 4A’s, the leading trade association representing the advertising agency business, and its U.K. counterpart, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), are launching the second year of the coveted IPA Foundation Certificate learning program for advertising professionals new to the industry.

The certificate, which has been tailored specifically for U.S. advertising professionals, is available exclusively through the 4A’s to both member and non-member agencies. The certificate program provides young agency talent with the knowledge and tools to succeed in the industry and sets a worldwide standard for new agency members. More than 90 percent of U.K. participants in the program believed IPA training was relevant in their careers and would recommend it to their colleagues.

Further, according to the IPA, continuous professional development contributes to compelling business outcomes: an 85 percent higher employee retention rate and 65 percent higher pitch conversion rate for agencies whose associates have achieved the certificate.

“New hires come from a variety of backgrounds, making it incredibly important to establish an industry standard of performance,” said Nancy Hill, president and CEO of the 4A’s. “The IPA Foundation Certificate has had great success in the U.K. and globally, and we are glad to further expand the program throughout the U.S. Through this program, we will continue to provide employees new to advertising with a baseline industry education, which we believe will make this talent competitive as they grow their careers.”

To earn the IPA Foundation Certificate, participants will engage in 35 hours of an online learning program consisting of e-lessons, key readers, assignments, walk-throughs, videos, discussions and quizzes, ending in a two-hour online exam. Participants will learn how to understand clients’ businesses, an introduction to the advertising world, different strategic tools, creative practices, campaign effectiveness and more. Those who pass the final examination will be awarded with the IPA certificate of completion.

“At BBDO, we place a high value on developing our talent, and that’s why we enroll our U.S. entry-level professionals in this outstanding program,” said Chris Thomas, CEO of BBDO Americas, chairman of I&S BBDO Japan, and chairman of Proximity Worldwide. “We are confident that this credential will give them the foundation they need to be individually successful and deliver results for our agency.”

Enrollment is currently open and the deadline to register is March 10, 2017. Delegates will sit for the final online exam on April 24, 2017.

For more details, please visit: https://www.aaaa.org/home-page/your-career/training-programs/ipa-foundation-certificate/.

About the 4A’s
The 4A’s is the catalyst for bringing together the right people in the right places at the right time to address the advertising industry’s most critical business issues. It provides leadership, advocacy, guidance and community to its members and the industry at large, with proprietary access to the people, information and tools needed to make smarter management decisions. Its mission is to help agencies become more successful. Visit the 4A’s at www.aaaa.org.

About IPA
The IPA is widely recognized as the world’s most influential professional body for practitioners in advertising and marketing communications. It has a well-earned reputation for thought leadership, best practice and continuous professional development and also provides core support and advisory services for its corporate and individual members. Based in the United Kingdom for nearly 100 years, IPA programs can be found in more than 60 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit: http://www.ipa.co.uk.

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