Simon Farnfield, portfolio director at Mash Media, explains the thinking behind a new event designed to bring more young talent into the events industry.
Where: Banking Hall
When: 4 October
Website: eventcareerslive.com
I’ve been on the road a lot this year talking to event professionals from all disciplines. From venues to agencies and from suppliers to organisers, the one common issue which binds them together is recruitment. Finding – and retaining – talent is, according to those on the frontline, one of the job’s biggest challenges.
What this industry needs, then, is a dedicated event: a careers fair. A chance for knowledge exchange and networking for those looking to forge a career in the industry.
Mash Media has announced the launch of Event Careers Live, which will take place on 4 October, and will promote careers across our vibrant industry. It will be a one-day event at Banking Hall, a Camm & Hooper venue, in the City of London.
The launch has been in the works for some time and has been designed to offer students and young event professionals who may already be employed in the sector the chance to learn more about the choices available to them. It will offer them the opportunity to build and extend their careers in outdoor events, charity events, exhibitions, corporate events, conferences, music festivals and concerts, and sporting events.
According to the recent UKCAMS survey, the conference and meetings industry is worth £20bn in direct expenditure to the UK economy each year, with the wider events industry bringing the total to £43bn. It’s estimated that the industry employees somewhere in the region of 570,000 people.
For example, there are an estimated 1.3 million business events and an estimated 7,000 major outdoor events held each year across the UK. Designing, planning, selling, marketing and delivering events requires a range of skills and employers are continually searching for talented individuals to join their organisations to be future leaders.
The event will be underpinned by eight hours of content and panel discussions featuring some of the industry’s biggest names. The content aims to give delegates the information and insight they need to make the right decisions and will, of course, mean they have a chance to meet top level managers from these organisations.
There will be panel debates in the Main Theatre addressing topics such as how best to get your foot in the door, campfire sessions hosted by industry experts, and interactive workshops hosted by employers looking for new talent.
Most people just fall into this sector; imagine how many more people would fall into it if they knew how brilliant and diverse it is? This is what we’re creating, a window to all the amazing careers this industry has to offer. It can only be a success, giving new talent and people already in our sector a flavour of all the paths you can take. Event Careers Live is one the most exciting projects I’ve had the pleasure of leading at Mash Media, and a perfect match to our motto of helping grow the industry we serve.
We hope to see you there.
