Community connection
PCMA IS PARTNERING WITH MELBOURNE- BASED MICE INDUSTRY TRADESHOW AIME TO POWER ITS KNOWLEDGE PROGRAMME FOR THE 2022 EVENT . WE SPEAK TO SHOW DIRECTOR SILKE CALDER AND TO PCMA ’ S MD FOR THE APAC REGION , KAREN BOLINGER
AIME and PCMA have worked collaboratively across many projects over the past few years . AIME director Silke Calder says the ethos of the Melbourne show ’ s Knowledge Programme , powered by PCMA for 2022 , is all about personal and professional development .
Calder says there has been discussion on community support activities and how platforms can be provided to help audiences through these challenging times . With both organisations identifying the same market challenges and opportunities , she said it made sense to combine forces .
“ Our industry has been forced through a period of evolution and we want to explore all of the winning solutions that can be applied by individuals and organisations . Coming out of standstill , we will need to look at new event formats of the future ,” Calder says .
Visitor and exhibitor feedback will play a big part in how the partners shape the 2022 Knowledge Programme , she believes , and says : “ We want to help address the challenges our audience see as the biggest barriers to recovery . Both PCMA and AIME are conducting audience research that will help inform our ongoing year-round activity .
“ PCMA really understands how to present educational content for the whole of the APAC region while creating a community experience . Their ideas for the event are energetic , forward-thinking and perfect for our time and place .”
We asked PCMA ’ s MD for the APAC region Karen Bolinger how closer collaboration with AIME fitted with the association ’ s own plans ?
“ PCMA has invested in the region and has worked closely with AIME over the past few years and we really understand the potential for growth for APAC ,” she says . “ This collaboration is to take the partnership beyond the show itself . PCMA provides high quality professional development for business events strategists and is on a growth trajectory in the region .”
Bolinger says there is a need to ensure our communities remain connected and have the right skills to respond to pent-up demand .
“ Business transformation and having our customers at the centre of
Above : PCMA APAC MD Karen Bolinger ( top ) and AIME show director Silke Calder
Below : Delegates socialise at AIME pre-pandemic
everything we do is key to any success ,” she says . “ We will develop our digital platforms along with keeping the face-to-face experience at the forefront of what we do .”
Bolinger points out that PCMA has had great success with its Digital Event Strategist certification course ( DES ) and has now developed experts in APAC to support the time zone and specific needs of that region . “ Our first localised programme kicked off in April with a large cohort from Thailand . We also have an ‘ Introduction to Digital Events ’ course for those who want to get to know a bit more about digital events before they take a deeper dive or get some basics . “ We will be launching a newly developed programme called 7 Change Actions ( 7CA ) – which is a design framework created exclusively for the business events industry to reinvent their services and organisations to remain relevant and adapt to changing consumer behaviour .” She explains it is a 7-week learning experience that will arm participants with new skills and renewed confidence to develop value-based solutions and equip them to lead as change agents at their respective organisations .
Bolinger adds that , while many organisations needed to cancel events and shut down advocacy efforts over the last year , PCMA has had one of its strongest years due to the fact that it was able to adapt to not only meet the challenge , but double-down on advocacy at a time when members needed it most .
“ Despite brutal economic conditions and the cancellation of key fundraising events , the PCMA Foundation provided over $ 900K in business event industry financial support and chapter / individual grants ,” she says . “ The Foundation also launched the Accelerating Reskilling initiative to support new skills development for industry professionals , raising almost $ 100K in the process .”
8 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 112