The publishing industry’s continued reliance on borrowed talent, incomplete curricula, and big-name draws for conferences is holding us back from developing worthwhile events at a time when we need well-planned content offerings and cutting-edge instruction.

Conferences have been declaring the end of digital for quite a while. When O’Reilly Media decided to close Tools of Change in Publishing in 2013, company founder Tim O’Reilly explained the change this way: “ ‘Digital publishing’ is well on its way to simply being ‘publishing,’ and options for both publishers and readers continue to evolve and expand.”

O’Reilly went on to claim: “Publishers are significantly more change-hardy than they were in 2006. And there are plenty of other events that are helping publishers keep up with new technology offerings in the space.”

A similar argument resurfaced when F+W announced a new approach for Digital Book World earlier this year. Reflecting on the new direction, industry observers said that the digital revolution ended earlier this decade; now we’re just cleaning up the last bits and pieces.

In talking about DBW 2017, F+W v-p Phil Sexton described plans to offer “insightful programming across a host of brand-new DBW focus areas that span the breadth of today’s publishing landscape—from connecting with readers to digital-first production, from analytics and reporting to supply-chain solutions.”

And I said, “Wait... Isn’t that what Tools of Change was offering before?”

It’s a sincere and legitimate question. Continuing education has a place in our industry, but it needs to help solve a problem. Conferences and other events too often feel invested in describing the problem, more than solving it.

The conference model is at least partly to blame. Presenters are typically not paid, instead receiving free or reduced-rate passes to attend the full event and take advantage of networking opportunities. Topics are sketched loosely, and relatively few events dedicate resources to making sure that a presenter or a panel is on-target and well-managed.

But book publishing needs more and better-structured educational content. Although digital technologies have changed how content creation, content management, and distribution take place, the industry has yet to develop a core curriculum that describes what we expect from a digitally literate editor, publisher, or marketer.

Other industries dealing with change have developed certification programs. By taking part in the programs, anyone working for or with industry professionals can earn a CAE designation, confirming that the recipients have demonstrated proficiency across a variety of mission-critical topics. ASAE, the association that offers the CAE credential, identifies programming that counts toward certification. These sessions take place at both smaller and larger events.

Book publishing would benefit from an investment in certification. Entry-level staff would have access to a set of programs that had been designed to teach them the fundamentals of the business. Midlevel and senior-level executives could be asked to structure programs on topics that deserve more than 45 minutes (perhaps even 75) of scripted presentations.

Graduate programs in publishing do offer advanced degrees, and in some cases certificates, but the courses are for the most part taught by industry professionals who develop their own curriculum based on experience, not cutting-edge research. This approach means that degree candidates hear past practices as “best practices,” at a time when digital access is changing the rules.

The graduate programs are also incomplete. Few address supply-chain issues, even though the most junior editors need to understand how to use and interpret data drawn from distribution and sales. Technology has made both print and digital book production much more flexible and complex, but courses on those topics are rare. Certification programs would give publishing an opportunity to celebrate those among us who want to improve themselves and our industry. We need that kind of commitment in publishing, both to retain our most committed talent and to foster a culture of education and improvement. Certification would also help foster alignment—content targeted at identified industry needs—and reduce overlap, as organizations and the events coalesced around specialties.

This is not a pipe dream. Industry organizations such as BISG, IDPF, AAP, the ALA, and the ABA all have an interest in fostering education in areas central to their mission. A multi-association council could work collaboratively to identify critical needs for various groups, including young professionals, midlevel executives, and senior management.

It would require coordination with for-profit events, many of which provide important opportunities to meet and network with other publishing professionals. Credentials won’t replace these events, but they could go a long way toward encouraging the programming the industry deserves.