Upskilling : a never-ending story
MICHAEL JONES BREAKS DOWN THE DIFFERING , AND FAST- CHANGING , APPROACHES TO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND ADVANCEMENT IN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY
vent management education whether through university courses , on-the-job apprenticeship-style training , or upskilling , offers an avenue for individuals to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to flourish in the meetings industry .
Many professionals have tried to make the best of the pandemic to upgrade their skills , although , sadly , many trained professionals have also fallen out of the industry , leading to a possible future talent shortage . Indeed , the very nature of how we train our event professionals is being profoundly changed by the rapid march of event tech , new demands , and new hybrid approaches to event delivery .
The competitive nature of attracting prospective students to event management courses has probably been only heightened by Covid and the uncertain future for parts of the industry , at least in the short term .
One of the main options for a student looking for a career in events management is a university degree . In the UK , there are 44 separate university institutions that offer events management focused degrees . In terms of prospects , after graduating , studies suggest 78.5 % of these UK students are employed , 7.3 % are in further study , and 5.5 % are working and studying .
The University of Lincoln in the UK sees 85 % of its event management graduates in work or further study 15 months after the course ’ s conclusion , and 96 % of students satisfied with the course they receive .
With regards the types of employment engaged in by individuals who undertake an event management degree in the UK : 51.1 % are in marketing , PR , and Sales , 13.9 % are secretarial and numerical clerks , 8 % are retail , catering , and bar staff , 6.9 % are in business , HR , and finance , while 20 % have other career options . In the UK , 34 % of individuals completing an events management degree become conference and exhibition managers , 9 % become marketing associate professionals .
Contrastingly , apprenticeship style schemes offer an alternative , more hands-on brand of education . The UK ’ s event apprenticeship programme , funded by the government , is a qualification , equivalent to 2 A levels and there is a £ 3,000 ( US $ 4,107 ) grant available to companies taking on an apprentice .
Training specialists for the event industry , Realise offer an apprentice scheme to anybody over-16 .
The programme lasts up to 18 months and requires the student to be in paid employment for at least 30 hours per week . In Realise ’ s scheme , the student is required to work in a role that gives them the opportunity to be involved in events for their organisation .
Georgia Sage , who completed the scheme in the UK , said : “ The events apprenticeship has been extremely valuable in providing me with the skills and confidence needed to kickstart my career . The apprenticeship helped me to understand the basic principles of event management which I have been able to apply to both virtual and hybrid events .”
Finally , upskilling focused schemes offer an important form of education for individuals not only at the outset of their career , but throughout the whole of it .
Through international industry associations such as Meeting Professional International ( MPI ), individuals can engage in upskilling courses in specific areas such as Event Data Analysis . These courses involve a large disparity in content and timing , varying from as short as six hours in the case of MPI ’ s Event Data Analysis , to 60 hours for the Event Solutions Academy . Similarly , PCMA , the US-based global event management association , offers individuals multiple skillfocused courses . A career guidance scheme and resource such as the PCMA Business Events Compass , aims to keep training relevant to contemporary issues in the industry , allowing individuals to keep up with international developments . Importantly , upskilling schemes function both as an addition to university and apprenticeship-style , and as valuable training unique to both .
Is there a distinction ? University and apprenticeship style education are often posited against each other .
One distinction offered between each is cost . In the UK , a bachelor ’ s degree is normally 3-4 years and costs £ 9,250 ( US $ 12,668 ) per year , not including accommodation and living costs . For courses such as BA Events Management at Leeds Beckett University in the UK a student will receive 240 hours of contact time , which would cost the equivalent of £ 115.63 per hour .
Australia is a principal provider of events management university education and courses there for international students , cost , for example , AUS $ 30,400 ( US $ 21,856 ) per year to study a Bachelor of Tourism , Hospitality and Events at
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