Since the partnership with WillowDNA began in 2009, the IPA have seen a 200% increase in enrolment on their Foundation Certificate in Advertising and has enabled the IPA to offer this qualification to a worldwide audience.
The IPA is a membership organisation dedicated to raising the professionalism of the advertising agencies that are its stakeholders. The 260 or so member companies cover over 80% of the UK’s advertising expenditure and employ, in aggregate, some 18,000 staff with an average age of 32. Because of self-regulation, the IPA sets the tone for the way an entire industry works through their training and the culture that they help to develop. People who are attracted to working in this industry tend to be highly creative, highly demanding of the verbal and visual messages they receive; and very focused on quality and accuracy where copy needs to be scrutinised to the highest publication standards. Expectations from every angle are very high!
WillowDNA was selected as the preferred supplier, as Patrick Mills, CPD Director, felt that the attitude of the team was a refreshing combination of understanding of how people learn together with what is likely to appeal to this demanding group of learners. The Willow Team offered a Learning Path approach that enabled combinations of learning methods, far better suited to this type of course and the outcomes required.
Since transforming the flagship IPA Foundation Certificate in 2010, the IPA and WillowDNA have continued to break the mould in online CPD, developing a comprehensive suite of online courses, from short skill boosters through to postgraduate level programmes. These include a six month certification programme in Behavioural Economics, the award-winning IPA Foundation Certificate, short courses to support learning and development professionals working in agencies, the post graduate Advanced Certificate and innovative compliance programmes for legal regulations and commercial awareness.
WillowDNA do not place a single-minded focus on e-learning as the only delivery method either. This made a significant difference to the IPA as so much of their material is not best suited to e-learning delivery but rather to online delivery with e-lessons being used as springboards to the material that follows. Our solution incorporated quick guides, e-lessons, walkthroughs and key readers which were all supported by discussion boards and named course support contacts for each learner. All programmes are hosted on our cloud LMS, Pathway, with our service delivery team providing an annual content revision service, live exam support and custom reporting solutions.
WillowDNA and the IPA have transformed the way CPD is delivered to the Advertising and Media industry, both in the UK and worldwide. 691 learners passed the new Foundation Certificate in 2011, with a further 800 in 2012 and 2013, with just under 1,000 taking the 2014 exam. 5,305 people in member agencies have an IPA qualification (approx. 22% of all staff). On average learners on IPA online qualifications generate over 5,000 discussions each year and the IPA have seen a 200% increase in enrollment on their Foundation Certificate. The success of their online programmes have also led to take up internationally with learners in over 40 countries taking the IPA Foundation and IPA Eff Test Certificates. IPA programmes have been award winners at both the 2012 and 2013 e-Learning Awards and shortlisted in the 2014 LPi Learning Awards.
WillowDNA are online learning partners, providing as little or as much support as you need to realise your online learning goals. From hosting through to full curriculum development and service management, WillowDNA are your complete online learning provider..