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better .” For employers looking for experience in technology as a ‘ must ’ for a prospective candidate , Kenward advises a broader range of competencies be considered , rather than a narrow view for using specific platforms . He said , “ Some employers have unrealistic expectations . They need to define what skills are necessities and which are a ‘ nice to have ’ and to be realistic , because tech experience is transferable .
“ If a candidate has experience of using Hopin , but you use StreamYard , then their experience is valid and they will be able to get up to speed quickly .”
That upskilling in platforms is on the eventprof themselves and their organisation . Carter-Lee said , “ Eventprofs can attend events and engage with other eventprofs , businesses , developers and influencers that are leading the way in event tech trends . Identity runs its own staff conference every year and a core aspect of this is an education forum for the team on new and emerging tech trends in the events space .
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“ Eventprofs need to be aware of what ’ s out there and have a wide breadth of tech knowledge , but no-one should be expected to be an expert in every piece of tech available .”
– Robert Kenward , founder of
EventHub . Jobs
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“ Identity has also consolidated what it feels it takes to be a great leader into a management development programme . The aim is to place skills at the centre and address gaps as soon as they appear , maximising the potential as a business . This way , eventprofs are held accountable through effective leadership and are encouraged to develop continuously .”
While this change means that eventprofs will need to another feather to their collective caps , it can be seen as a broadening of skillsets . In this way the events industry is primed to tackle the talent-shortage in tech . By upskilling professionals already in the industry , this investment in people is also a vital component for employee retention .
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Where are we now ? It ’ s easy to talk about how the industry needs to adopt technology , how these skills must be supplementary to existing competencies and how to upskill employees The real question is , where are we now ?
Sheppard said , “ The world is a different place , everything is available instantly and at the push of a button . I ’ m not , for one second , assuming that tech doesn ’ t matter . But I think it ’ s becoming part of life , the idea that like your nan couldn ’ t answer a text message a few years ago , we ’ re not really in that world anymore .
“ The pandemic sped that process up , everyone was on Zoom , everyone was doing something that involved tech because the world needed you to behave that way . So , I think the gap has shortened in that sense , but I think the in-person element of bringing a brilliant event to life will absolutely require someone to have good people skills .” In Sheppard ’ s view , at least , people are becoming more tech native , using social media and other technologies in their everyday lives and therefore becoming more competent in their professional ones . As we move forward , technology will undoubtedly become interwoven in the event organisers toolset , but the core competencies that make events great are still at the heart of what we do . CN
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