Strategizing for tomorrow is a routine part of the job for Deborah Collier, the president of Digital Skills Authority. With over three decades of experience, she utilizes her rich educational background to formulate actionable plans for both businesses and governmental entities.
Collier’s initial position in the early 1990s was as a technical support engineer at the UK Ministry of Defense, where she started on the help desk while pursuing her computer science degree during evenings.
Transitioning from e-commerce to marketing
Following a five-year tenure in the IT sector with firms like J.P. Morgan, she established her digital e-commerce and marketing agency, earned her master’s degree in business information systems, and worked with a management consulting firm where she led projects and advised marketing directors and partners on new online initiatives. Yet, her journey didn’t end there.
“My subsequent venture involved an e-business consulting and marketing firm where I spent a decade,” she recounts. During this period, Collier created management and digital marketing training programs complete with certification.
“I subsequently channeled these continually refined certifications into the newly formed awarding body, Digital Skills Authority, which boasts an expanding array of content and training provided by a skilled team,” Collier reflects.
The emergence of Digital Skills Authority
The remarkable growth of Digital Skills Authority necessitated a proactive approach to stay at the forefront of the industry. Collier, who is both a digital technology entrepreneur and a visionary leader, sees this as a crucial ability.
“I must anticipate which concepts will thrive and which will be essential in the future,” she clarifies. Her foresight allowed her to develop a content strategy and engagement course she describes as the “first public classroom course training ever devised and presented to brands like Skype and Warner. This eventually laid the groundwork for a fundamental part of our marketing and management certifications.”
“In 2009, I initiated the first-ever e-business management program,” Collier adds. “This is about innovation. It is what attracts clients to us.”
Digital Skills Authority’s Course Offerings
What exactly does Digital Skills Authority provide? Who should consider the available courses and why?
Deborah Collier: I established Digital Skills Authority from scratch with minimal resources, creating the business plan, marketing, technological, and growth strategies along with the Certificate in Online Business series. I’m overseeing global expansion, which includes appointing and guiding regional leaders to collectively steer our future growth, standards, and operations.
DC: Digital Skills Authority serves as the global awarding body for advanced digital skills and digital business competencies. Beyond product development, quality assurance, and measurable impact, we are focused on multi-user subscription licenses via international partners and are pursuing governmental backing or other strategic collaborations to deliver e-learning subscriptions at scale, globally. This not only enhances economies but also fosters digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
DC: Through our e-learning platform, we provide digital interactive media subscriptions along with on-site consultative initiatives and public courses led by future-licensed training providers. Corporations often approach us for upskilling their staff or startups looking to build a capable team. We have crafted the blueprint. We understand precisely what they need to progress—the necessary skills and actions required for the next step. It’s a strategic evolution of skills and education, developed by industry pioneers with extensive experience.
Notable Clients of Digital Skills Authority
S: Numerous prominent companies have partnered with Digital Skills Authority. Can you elaborate on your clientele and share some of the success stories?
DC: Among our more prominent clients are teams from Procter & Gamble, Ernst & Young, Mars, Schneider Electric, L’Oréal, Delta Air Lines, and various international postal services, banks, insurance companies, government departments, stock exchanges, telecom providers, as well as startups and small to medium enterprises. We also cater to individuals aiming to enhance their careers, launch a venture, or seeking employment.
DC: We’ve witnessed individuals take our courses and subsequently secure promotions shortly thereafter. One national postal service reported that our training enabled them to establish a professional online presence. Another client, a national retailer, shared that their year-end statistics indicated several million in increased sales that year, after learning merchandising strategies with our guidance. We had airline staff attend a consultative course who then provided real-time updates to their teams to improve their website’s usability, leading to increased sales.
Holistic Tech Marketing Strategies and the Role of AI
S: How would you define a comprehensive tech marketing strategy?
DC: Tech marketing revolves around data; thus, any tools that can evaluate and offer insights into audience engagement and advertising outcomes are crucial, as is automation. Artificial intelligence will increasingly support companies in refining their marketing strategies.
S: As a forward-thinking leader at Digital Skills Authority, which skills do you anticipate growing increasingly vital for the future workforce?
DC: I predict that a blend of human capabilities, management, and technology will be paramount. The ability to select, monitor, and coordinate technologies and tools will be essential, including emerging technologies like AI and spatial computing, which merges reality with augmented experiences.
DC: Furthermore, there will be a pressing need for enhanced strategic development, leadership, and governance, with an emphasis on ethics—both environmentally and socially. Creativity and innovation will remain pivotal, alongside vital human competencies such as communication, collaboration, empathy, people management, and teamwork. While technology handles mundane tasks, we need skilled individuals to leverage these technologies effectively.
Future Industry Trends
S: Are there any industry-specific trends on the horizon that you foresee?
DC: The trajectory of our culture, influenced by today’s governmental actions, could lead us towards greater enlightenment steeped in social consciousness and ethics or direct us into a dystopian reality marked by unethical governance, pronounced disparities in wealth and opportunity, and a deficit in meaningful education.
Strengthening Digital Security for U.S. Businesses
S: What advice would you offer for enhancing digital security across the United States?
DC: Cybersecurity is an area I am deeply passionate about, particularly concerning corporate espionage and the safeguarding of personal and executive information. Hacking poses a significant risk to businesses, with potential repercussions that could damage economies. The future of conflict will likely pivot from conventional battles to information warfare and cyber assaults.
DC: Governments have been delayed in acknowledging the necessity for strict regulations around content. Monitoring of technology is essential. Citizens should be trained to protect their data and devices. Every corporate board should include individuals with a solid understanding of cybersecurity. This will grow increasingly critical moving forward.
