Advertising professionals who have been impacted by furloughs or layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic now have a way to get serious career help and without spending any money on continuing education or certificate social media advertisement training courses. Facebook has stepped up to help those in the ad industry learn the skills needed to compete for a job through their no-cost Rise program. Possibly more importantly, the program specifically caters to those who have lost their job (in some way) due to the pandemic. For those who fall under that umbrella, there’s help where there wasn’t before – and possibly a new job in the near future.
In this article, we’re going to tell you everything we know about Rise, including who qualifies for the program and how you can access it.
What is Facebook Rise and Why Was It Created?
Rise is a free program that Facebook launched to help people make career changes or enhance their skills so they can be in a better position to find and excel at work. The program takes place within a private Facebook Group, which is part of how it connects industry personnel with one another. By basing the program in an interactive, social setting like Groups, more opportunities can open up naturally, and you’re not only depending on the ones that Facebook itself seeks out and brings you.
According to Facebook, “Ad agency professionals continue to grapple with job cuts and uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic…Alongside these trends, internet media employment is at a record high. Digital roles in marketing are among the fastest-growing in the industry, providing opportunities for agency professionals to develop new skills, hone old ones or even pivot careers.”
The program is run via Facebook Groups and was initially launched in Brazil in July of 2020. Now, it’s been adopted across several other countries, including the U.S. and Canada. People in Italy, Latin America and Singapore can also get involved with the program, though they’ll sign up through different Groups specifically for their location.
What Can You Do With Facebook Rise?
Here’s what Rise strives to do:
- Help you make industry connections.
- Offer Facebook Blueprint training (more on that below).
- Provide digital skills training for ad agency professionals.
- Stream live Q&As and pre-recorded sessions.
- Tune you in to valuable industry insights.
A little more about Facebook Blueprint training, as referenced above: The Blueprint program lets you access certifications, online courses and training programs so that you’re better able to use Facebook’s marketing tools.
The idea of Rise is that with all of this help, ad agency professionals should be able to up-skill and/or re-skill in order to meet the demands of the market and find available positions in their field.
What Type of Content Does Rise Offer?
Rise’s content falls into three categories: Learn, Grow and Thrive. Let’s briefly get into each one.
Learn
These educational resources will help professionals enhance their digital skills and technical know-how. Live sessions with trainers from Blueprint will cover topics like creative strategy and media buying. You’ll also get training from marketing science experts at Facebook to learn in-depth about the factors that drive digital ad performance.
Grow
Career perspectives and soft skills training are offered to help you develop professionally. You’ll be able to access sessions that cover topics like building your portfolio, writing your resume and preparing for an interview.
Thrive
You’ll have the opportunity to listen to inspirational accounts from entrepreneurs and influencers on business and career topics. The idea of the Thrive content is to help you feel inspired, strong and resilient during an uncertain time.
Who is Facebook Rise Available To?
In general, Rise is open to ad professionals at any level (just about; super-new beginners are excluded), but you had to have been impacted by COVID-19 by being furloughed or laid off during 2020. If you were let go for another reason during 2020, you won’t be able to take part in Rise. Also, the program isn’t open to first-year, entry-level employees who weren’t able to find a job in 2020 due to COVID or who were quickly let go from one of their first positions in the industry.
In order to qualify for Facebook Rise in North America, you have to meet the following criteria:
- You reside in Canada or the U.S.
- You were furloughed or laid off due to COVID-19.
- You’re not employed at an agency right now.
- You have a minimum of one year of ad agency experience.
If you can say “yes” to all of the above, you’ll be able to join Rise’s private Facebook Group and access all of the guidance for free. (There’s a bit more information about joining the Group if you follow that link, but the essentials are covered here.)
How Do You Sign Up for Rise?
If you meet the criteria above, you can sign up for the program. Here’s how:
Step 1: To join Rise’s North America Facebook Group, you can do one of these two options:
- Go to this link in your browser.
- From within Facebook (the browser or mobile app), search for “Facebook Rise – North America,” which should bring up the Group.
Step 2: Click Join Group.
Step 3: There are three quick questions to answer, and you’ll also see the Group’s rules.
Step 4: Wait one business day for acceptance (assuming you meet the necessary criteria).
That’s it! You’ll then be part of the Rise Facebook Group and able to take advantage of everything the program offers, all for free.
Final Thoughts
Rise offers support and career advancement opportunities that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, especially for the low, low cost of absolutely nothing. Here’s what you need to keep in mind, though: Once you’re in, it’s important to pay attention to and stay active in the Facebook Group. That’s where the true magic happens, and it’s your best chance (within Rise, at least) to make important industry connections. You never know who you might meet who can tell you about a job opportunity or give you invaluable advice you’ve never heard anywhere else.