Advertising, Marketing & PR

Event Organising

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Event Organising

The events industry has grown over the last ten years and work can be found within a range of industries working on everything from corporate events and conferences to weddings and live music events.

As part of the role you can be expected to be involved with the planning and execution of events, dealing with all the details that lead up to the day such as venues, catering, organising staff and the days schedule as well as being on hand on the day making sure the event runs smoothly.

You will need to be highly organised and great with people, be confident and a good leader as well as having a passion for events and a creative flair. You'll also have to be able to work well under pressure and keep a cool head - being able to rectify any crisis that the day's events have to throw at you.

Jobs in the industry are few and far between and competition is often high so employers will be looking for graduates who have a proven interest in the industry and more than a relevant degree on their CV. Many degrees in the industry offer sandwich placements which are a great way to prove your worth and get your foot in the door but if you haven't studied a specific events degree theirs plenty of ways to pick up experience whilst you study.

A work placements a good way to get an insight into the industry or work shadowing to see how industry professionals cope with the day to day pressures of such a demanding job. Volunteering for a local charity to help with fundraising events would look great on your CV or working for your Student Union to help organise, promote and run student activities.

Ask your careers service for help in finding a local company willing to take students placements or check out your Voluntary Action service for opportunities within local charities.

Within the region events companies tend to vary in size with a range of mainly small to medium-sized enterprises employing a small number of staff. There are also a handful of specialist operators located in the region and these companies are listed in the White Book, a production directory for event organisers. In some larger organisations events often fall under the responsibility of the Marketing or Communications team.

There are also opportunities to be found in organisations such as local authorities, Universities and Colleges, public attractions (such as The Royal Armouries in Leeds), sporting bodies (cricket clubs and football grounds) Hotels, music venues and charities.

Within Yorkshire, Harrogate has built a reputation for business tourism, hosting frequent and varied conferences. Its exhibition and conference business provides around 7,000 jobs.

Useful links:

Association of British Professional Conference Organisers

The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers represents professionals in the sector.

Association for Conferences and Events (ACE)
ACE represents the meetings industry in the UK, and includes commercial and charitable organisations in its membership.

Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO)
AEO is the trade body representing the trade exhibition and consumer event sector.

The White Book
A production directory for events organisers. A copy may be available in University Careers Services.

WorldofEvents.net
Provides information for events professionals.