In today’s fast-evolving business world, digital is everything. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the landscape even faster. A recent webinar hosted by Morgan International and the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) focused on how the globally recognized Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) program is helping marketers stay ahead. It does so by integrating essential AI skills.
Here are the key takeaways from the discussion on how the CDMP program, offered by Morgan International, is bridging the digital skills gap. It also accelerates careers.
The Global Digital Skills Gap and the Rise of AI
The Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) is the world’s leading global certification body for digital marketing. It has a powerful mission to help marketers reach their full potential by closing the digital skills gap. This applies across all industries and career stages.
The integration of AI rapidly changes how we research, create and deliver marketing activities. Tools like generative AI assist in campaign optimization, content creation, and uncovering deep audience insights. Understanding and embracing AI is no longer optional; it’s essential.
What Sets the DMI CDMP Apart?
Over 70,000 graduates make the CDMP the most widely taught digital marketing certification globally. Experts from leading universities and the world’s top marketing organizations co-created it. These include members of the Global Industry Advisory Council (GIAC).
The GIAC is made up of senior executives from over 30 influential organizations. These include Google, Meta, LinkedIn, Microsoft, IBM, and HubSpot. Their regular input ensures the DMI curriculum is current, credible, and connected to real-world employer expectations. In fact, the GIAC advised DMI to expand its focus on AI.
The DMI released the latest version, CDMP version 11, in January 2025. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) quality-assures and credit-rates it, giving it international credibility.
Essential Skills for the Future-Ready Marketer
The CDMP program is structured around 10 modules covering everything from AI-powered digital marketing, content, and social media, to analytics, e-commerce, and strategy. AI is fully embedded across every part of the curriculum.
Future-ready marketers need a broader, more adaptable skillset, which the CDMP focuses on developing:
- AI Literacy: Understanding how generative and predictive systems work.
- Prompt Engineering Skills: Knowing how to communicate effectively with AI tools to get the best outputs.
- Workflow Design: The ability to build efficient, automated marketing systems.
- Strategic Agility: The ability to quickly adapt as tools and market trends evolve.
The program also addresses the need for ethical awareness around AI. It includes data privacy (GDPR compliance), transparency, guarding against bias, and establishing clear accountability for AI-produced outcomes.
The Value of Certification: Employer Insights
DMI’s own research highlights the high value employers place on professional certification:
- 93% of employers value professional certification in digital marketing.
- 77% say it’s difficult to find qualified AI and digital talent.
- 71% prefer hiring a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced one without them.
For graduates, the CDMP acts as a career accelerator:
- 87% of employers are more likely to hire DMI certified candidates.
- 44% of graduates are promoted within 12 months.
- 74% receive a salary increase after certification.
Inspiring Success Stories: Alumni Testimonials
The webinar featured two alumni, Jesse and Carly, who shared how the CDMP transformed their careers through Morgan International’s instructor-led program.
For the Career Changer (Jesse)
Jesse, originally an English Literature major, sought a career change. She found that the CDMP provided a comprehensive, well-structured, step-by-step learning experience. This made the transition to a new field possible despite a non-marketing background.
Jesse credited the program with building her confidence in key areas like strategy planning. She found the AI prompts and toolkits provided by DMI to be directly useful in her new internship at a marketing agency.
For the Experienced Marketer (Carly)
Carly, who holds a BA in Communications and a minor in Multimedia Journalism and has four years of marketing experience, saw the CDMP as a way to gain confidence. She also valued a globally recognized title and up-to-date skills integrated with AI.
She noted that the program effectively “put all the pieces together” from her prior experience. It debunked misconceptions and proved certain theories. The shared experience with instructors (10-15 years minimum of experience) and diverse classmates (e.g., e-commerce, content creation) was highly enriching. It broadened her professional scope. Carly also highlighted the endless resources and templates provided by DMI, such as reporting templates, which she used to update and improve her professional workflows.
The Morgan International Advantage
Morgan International partners with DMI to provide preparation courses for the CDMP. The benefit of enrolling through Morgan is the combination of DMI’s industry-validated content with Morgan’s instructor-led lectures.
Students receive a wealth of resources:
- DMI Membership and Learning Management System.
- Instructor-led lectures by certified, experienced professionals who share real-life examples.
- Recorded class sessions for review, along with DMI’s bite-sized videos, questions, notes, and student handbooks.
The CDMP exam is a two-hour, computer-based exam where candidates need to score 60% to pass.
In conclusion, the partnership between DMI and Morgan International ensures that marketers are not just adapting to the changes driven by AI and data. They are equipped to lead, transforming their confidence, credibility, and capability.
