The Media Federation of Australia is deepening its investment in emerging talent by launching NGEN Management Collective Essentials and expanding the NGEN Mentor Program.
Both initiatives are aimed at media professionals with three to five years’ experience, a stage when rising talent often manage people, run projects, and take on greater responsibility.
NGEN Management Collective Essentials is an intensive eight-week capability-building program that combines coaching, workshops, and study.
The program focuses on developing practical skills for modern managers, with participants who successfully complete it earning a recognised certification.
Places are intentionally limited to maximise collaboration and impact, with participation offered by invitation to selected NGEN members.
The program will be led by Lucy Allen from The Graceful Collective.
Responding to changing workforce expectations
The MFA said the program was developed in response to insights from its recent whitepapers, The Gen Z Effect and The Workforce of the Future.
The Gen Z Effect found that early-career professionals increasingly value practical, structured development and recognised credentials.
The Workforce of the Future highlighted the need for adaptable leaders who can manage change, lead diverse teams and succeed in an AI-enabled workforce.
NGEN Mentor Program expands in 2026
The NGEN Mentor Program is also returning in expanded form, following feedback from last year’s pilot.
This year, 55 mentor-mentee pairs earned places in the program, up from 35 last year.
The initiative connects media professionals with three to five years’ experience with senior industry leaders, offering guidance, industry insight and career direction at a key stage of professional growth.
Melanie Aslanidis on building future-ready talent
Melanie Aslanidis, the MFA’s Head of NGEN and MFA Foundations, said the three-to-five-year mark is a crucial point in a media professional’s career.
“That’s why we’ve designed these two programs to support them in different but complementary ways,” Aslanidis said.
“NGEN Management Collective Essentials accelerates the practical skills and confidence needed to thrive as responsibilities grow, while the Mentor Program provides trusted guidance and perspective from experienced industry leaders. Together, they reflect the MFA’s commitment to building a stronger, future-ready workforce by giving emerging talent the capability, credentials and support to advance.”
NGEN’s role in industry development
NGEN is the MFA’s flagship development program for media professionals with less than five years’ experience.
Through workshops, events and hands-on learning, the MFA said NGEN has become a critical engine of industry talent development, with more than 80% of today’s media agency workforce having participated in the program.
Main image: NGEN