“ Things feel like they are changing for the better for the new generation of event professionals .”
SUMMER | OPINION
Elevating event professionals
GMC Events ’ Ryan Wilmott takes time out from working on events such as Glastonbury , PRIDE and Shambala to provide his perspective on the industry ’ s efforts to close the skills gap and present new opportunities for budding event profs .
Those of us who are deep into our events careers , especially those in the music and festival sectors , will likely have endured a series of unpaid and informal roles as we carved our way into the industry .
Traditionally there has been the expectation that those looking to break into the industry carry the financial burden of inadequate budgets , and more often than not endure long hours , below acceptable welfare conditions , and undefined outcomes . We considered ourselves
lucky to even have the vaguest of opportunities to get our foot in the door . I suppose we were the lucky ones , as there were and continue to be many who simply can ’ t afford the luxury of committing their time unpaid or may struggle to work in an environment that historically wasn ' t structured to support those with accessibility needs .
Things feel like they are changing for the better for the new generation
Ryan Wilmott
of event professionals . The turnover of staff has been almost unprecedented in recent years , and consequently we are seeing more placement schemes providing a more structured scope of development and
“ Things feel like they are changing for the better for the new generation of event professionals .”
guaranteed point of entry . There are numerous schemes and opportunities arising across all sectors , which not only offer more tangible financial support , but are much more diverse and inclusive than previously .
Team Love ' s Big Team project is opening opportunities for young people in Bristol who have traditionally been excluded from the festival industry , while charities such as Youth Music offer paid opportunities , funding , industry connections and networking events for those who face barriers to earning in music . Continental Drift ’ s newly launched Festival Lab offers a free nine-week course with paid work experience to Black , BAME and PoC 18 - 30-year-olds to address the lack of diversity in the festival industry .
Educators have also recognised and filled a gap . Courses specific to the music , events and festival worlds being offered by the likes of BIMM and the Backstage Academy are now able to be covered by student loans and offer fantastic work-based placement opportunities to students .
Traditionally , the events industry has struggled to acknowledge our fundamental systemic issues but since the pandemic we ’ ve seen the industry open up . Apps like Linkedin have become a much more open and active space for advice and connecting , with entry levellers using them as platforms to reach out to promoters , event organisers and those they ’ d like to work with and learn from . The Fair ’ s ‘ Advice Line ’ has recently been launched to offer free advice to anybody looking to kickstart their career in the industry .
Support for those looking to bridge the management gap and step up has also improved through structured initiatives . NOWIE ’ s Level Up mentor scheme , for example , offers those in the early to mid-stages of their careers the chance to be paired up with a specialist mentor for six months . Access All Area ’ s 30 under 30 scheme celebrates and rewards the successes of the young people within the industry , offering access to resources and networking opportunities to further promote their development .
These are all positive steps forward for an industry that ' s traditionally been the archetypal gig economy . It is a sign of an industry finally taking its systemic issues seriously .
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