Adobe is venturing into the digital marketing industry, with the announcement of the Adobe Digital Marketing Accreditation, available worldwide through General Assembly.

Adobe says the accreditation is the first of its kind in the industry, and aims to fuse best practices with foundational understanding of digital marketing to create a successful digital business.

The accreditation is comprised of six programmes with three or four sixty-minute-long courses on digital marketing topics, each led by a team of industry experts and 'Adobe technology evangelists'.

While some might think Adobe would limit the programme to its Adobe Cloud customers, it is not the case, as it is available to any marketer, anywhere, who is interested in developing their skills.

Adobe aims to help plug the digital skills gap, as Sweeney Research in Australia has found that 25% of businesses are finding it hard to find tech-savvy marketing employees who can navigate digital marketing and innovation. Businesses are also facing increased hiring, training and retainment costs for skilled employees.

A 2013 Adobe Systems Digital Distress Study found that 76% of marketers believe that marketing has changed more in the past 2 years than in the past 50 years.

Adobe says that firsthand feedback has shown the company that customers want to learn the required digital skills and capabilities to deal with digital transformation, so the company developed a solution.

Adobe says its courses will be delivered through its learning management system Captivate Prime, and a one-year subscription provides access to all programme materials. Course content will be delivered at learners' own paces, on-demand and kept up to date.

Successful graduates will earn the Adobe Accredited Digital Marketer title, and a badge that can be shared through their social networks. Subscription pricing can be customised and will vary by region. To learn more, click here.