MFA’s NGEN Training & Development Program Turns 15

The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) is today celebrating the 15-year anniversary of NGEN, its longest-running training and development program for media professionals with less than five years’ experience, empowering them to build successful careers through learning, building peer networks, and providing tools and support.

NGEN launched on 28 February 2008 with a mission to foster and develop the future leaders of the industry, following a proposal by then-MFA board director Henry Tajer. Unanimously backed by the board, the program was the beginning of a unique approach of agencies coming together for industry-wide training and career development. In recognition of the importance of building a peer network with media partners, NGEN was expanded in 2009 to welcome media owners as members.

Over the past 15 years, NGEN has helped build the career of 7 in 10 people working in the media industry today, with approximately 15,000 individuals benefitting from the program.

Among the many notable NGEN alumni are Seven West Media national sales director and ThinkTV Australia board member Natalie Harvey; This is Flow founder & CEO and MFA board member Jimmy Hyett; Initiative managing director Sam Geer; Procter & Gamble senior sales account manager William Berber; and Initiative Global Strategy director Jacqueline Osborn.

With 2,800 current active NGENers, NGEN recorded significant growth in 2022, with new members and higher engagement from existing members boosting the NGEN population by twenty five per cent.

NGEN’s achievements over the 15 years include:

· More than $255,000 raised for charity through the NGEN Charity Cup and NGEN Award (part of MFA Awards)

· A combined 101,021 hours of training

· More than 650 workshops and training sessions

Seven West Media national sales director Natalie Harvey (feature image) was among NGEN’s first cohort of five hundred and twenty individuals in 2008 and the first-ever NGEN Chair.

“NGEN is a crucial part of our growing and retaining the amazing talent within this vibrant industry. Being part of the start of NGEN was so valuable for me to build out my network, to learn from diverse and varying voices, and to keep fuelling my love for this incredible industry. I learnt skills in those first couple of years of NGEN that I still rely on and use today.” she said.

A program of activities will roll out throughout the year in celebration of the 15-year anniversary, with current and past NGEN members sharing their industry journeys and NGEN’s role in their development.

Melanie Aslanidis, head of NGEN, said: “NGEN’s uniqueness is the platform we provide for NGENers to step outside their personal bubble to build successful careers by learning new knowledge and skills, and building their peer networks.

“Fifteen years is a long time in media and we are incredibly proud to have played such a significant role in providing the backbone of training and career development for our industry’s future leaders, arming them with the tools they need to thrive in our industry.

“Coming off the back of NGEN’s biggest year yet in 2022, we are excited and inspired to keep delivering for our community.”

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Melanie Aslanidis MFA Natalie Harvey NGEN