Digital marketing and communication expert, Kwabena Appianing predicts more jobs in Ghana for in the digital sector for skilled professionals, this he said over the weekend at the digital orientation program organized by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) at their premises in Accra Ghana.
He bemoaned the lack of enthusiasm Ghanaians showed towards digital studies and encourage them to develop the capacities in the field. “The world is heading towards a digital era where mobile, instant messaging and social media sites are always actively engaged, unlike the traditional media,” he said.
Mr. Appianing advised young professionals to pursue careers in digital marketing especially to make them “hot cakes” on the job market. He believes most serious companies are embracing different aspects digital in their day-to-day operations and this has opened a plethora of opportunities for people with the right digital opportunities.
“As a modern day marketer, a program like the Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing is a necessity and several institutions such as Institute of Ireland, which is affiliated to African Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship (AITE) and CIMG, runs such programs in Ghana,” he said. He added that social media alone, which is a minute part of digital marketing has employed thousands of professionals in the industry.
Citing a recent research conducted by Moz and Fractl, two renowned technology researchers who sought to find out the most in-demand marketing skills, found Digital Marketing Manager, Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist and Social Media Manager, as some of the most sought after skills by employees after analyzing key word trends via Google analytics and LinkedIn search results. He believes that trend has caught up with employees in Ghana.
Kwabena Okyire Appianing is the Head of Digital Media and Innovations at Global Media Alliance. Prior to his current appointment, he was the Digital Media Coordinator for Groupe Ndoum, Jobberman Ghana, and Web Projects Manager for Techcom Visions. He was recently the guest speaker at the Executive Women’s Network seminar on the topic “Social media for today’s business woman”.