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Educational Contribution

Tackling Underemployment
in Digital Marketing (Kepler/kyu)

Kepler Academy is a free online digital marketing training program founded by Kepler in 2020. The advertising industry has historically been highly homogeneous and prone to underrepresentation from a variety of genders, races, and nationalities. Kepler Academy aims to increase diversity in digital advertising by giving people from all backgrounds and lived experiences the skills required to find positions in digital marketing.

The program's management, curriculum design, training, and mentoring are all conducted and administered by Kepler staff. Based on the curriculum offered to Kepler's own staff, the program provides practical training with collaboration from industry partners and clients. With no barriers to participation, the program is open to all, including recent college graduates, career switchers, adult learners, and an array of others who are committed to finding roles in marketing.
Within six months post-graduation, 85% of graduates are employed, with 78% of these working at Kepler and other major firms in the industry. The number of graduates per cohort has been rising steadily, with the total number of graduates set to exceed 300 by the end of 2023.
The goal for the future is to continue growing the student base, maintain strong relationships with graduates, and create a path toward fiscal sponsorship that would allow for outside investment to be possible.

Program Calendar Overview

  • Media Foundations

    Weeks 1ー3

  • Media Planning &
    Client Skills Training
    Weeks 4ー7

  • Final Project
    Career Prep
    Weeks 7ー8

Representative Kepler Academy participants

  • Micah (Cohort 3)

    "Kepler Academy gave us all the tools we needed to succeed."

  • Olga (Cohort 5)

    "Kepler Academy is definitely a 12 out of 10 program... I've learned a lot of skills and tools in the digital marketing field."

  • Sara (Cohort 4)

    "I learned how to create a paid search campaign. I highly recommend Kepler Academy."

  • Raymond (Cohort 5)

    "Thank you for being a part of my long journey to overcome underemployment."

Interview

Justin Roberts

Associate Vice President

Young staffers are given mentoring roles. This has two benefits. Through the program they can learn leadership and management skills important to their work. Plus, by working with participants across the program journey, they get to experience contributing to another's success. When graduates join the industry as their colleagues, they feel joy at that moment.

Company Kepler Group LLC
Office locations New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, San Jose, London, Singapore
Established 2012
Joined kyu 2018
Employees 556 (as of July 2023)
Business Digital and marketing strategy, DX, integrated media/CRM services, data and technology consulting

Initiatives at Group Companies

Initiatives