Adobe has launched a new Audience Manager certification program created by Digitas. The companies claim the certification is the first of its kind in the data management platform (DMP) marketplace and is now available to Adobe partners and the general public.

The exam establishes a standard and process for assessing an expertise in Adobe DMP, making it possible to determine whether employees, new and existing, along with partners have the required skills to manage the tool. The exam is intended to simplify and standardize the process of finding experts in Adobe Audience Manager. 

The roles are in high demand, and finding experts in the technology is not easy, according to the companies. 

An Adobe spokesperson said Digitas was selected based on its advanced skill set in DMP management, as well as media, data and technology capabilities.

Gregg McMullen, vice president and director of technology at Digitas, said the agency’s cross-functional expertise allowed Digitas to “ensure the certification exam process was inclusive of the different roles, skills and areas of management necessary.”

The exam — commissioned by Adobe and built by Digitas — spans 88 questions that are intended to act as a baseline for the proficiency of Adobe’s Audience Manager, as well as simplify and standardize the process of finding AAM experts. The exam tests a candidate’s familiarity with data ingestion, segmentation, and activation activities within the Adobe Audience Manager platform.

Adobe has been building educational programs to support its technology and help marketers gain the skills required. Earlier this year, the company launched an Advertising Academy in the United States. Shortly after that, it took the classes global.

Similar to the certification it launched with Digitas, the programs provide certified technical training as well as a broader understanding of industry developments and current events that become more valuable as the market changes rapidly.