EVENT MANAGEMENT A FUTURE IN

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1 EVENT MANAGEMENT A FUTURE IN EVENT MANAGEMENT

2 WHAT IS EVENT MANAGEMENT? What is an event? It could be a trade fair, charity fundraiser, career fair, wedding, prize-giving ceremony, sports event, conference, concert, Christmas parade, or something that happens fully or partly online. But whether it is the opening ceremony at the Rugby World Cup, a concert given by your favourite band, an arts festival or a graduation ceremony, events need to be planned, organised and managed. Although events can happen virtually anywhere and be as diverse as the audiences they are created for, they have much in common for example, music, dance, food, theatre, multimedia and of course, people. To deal with all of this, event managers need to be creative, but also offer a broad toolkit of skills and knowledge, drawing on a range of other professions and disciplines, such as project management, financial management, leadership, logistics, human resource management, sales, marketing, public relations and communication. The top 5 skills and qualities required for this industry, according to com, are flexibility, people skills, passion, organisational and time management skills. Do you love meeting people? Do you have a flair for coming up with creative and fun ideas and activities? Are you good at planning, organising and leading? If so, a career in event management could be just the thing for you.

3 OUTLOOK AND TRENDS The global picture There are a number of emerging and rapidly growing trends, including: Use of cloud-based tools to plan/manage events The role of social media in planning, promoting and running events Organisations using conferences as a vital part of their branding strategy The rise of real-time analytics tools, allowing analysis during the event Crowdsourcing for event planning, promotion, funding, reviews and more Mobile and video integration such as live streams and slide sharing Source: Sustainable event management, or event greening, is also an important focus in the industry. Sustainable development principles are often now incorporated into all stages (planning, organisation and implementation) and components of the event (clients, organisers, venues, sub-contractors and suppliers). The local scene In New Zealand, employment opportunities for conference and event organisers grew fairly strongly in the year to June 2014 and future growth is projected to be around 4.9% per year until 2018, and 3.3% per year until Source: MBIE, Occupational Outlook 2015 A significant recent trend has been the growth of event management roles within the corporate sector. Large organisations such as banks, local authorities and NGO s have come to realise that event management is a unique skillset and many now employ teams of trained, experienced event managers to create their events. Local councils have realised the economic benefits of staging events to promote cultural difference and to enrich destination tourism. Countries and regions gain huge benefit from hosting world championship sporting events and often this involves the building of facility infrastructure. Consequently, jobs become available for not only the events sector but also for a wide range of supporting industries. WORK SETTINGS Event managers may move from one short-term project to another or be permanently employed. The organisations they can work for include: Events management and conference management companies Large corporate organisations, including banks and accounting firms Local government bodies such as city and district councils Charities and not-for-profit organisations Sporting and cultural organisations Educational institutions such as universities. Alternatively, once they have some experience, a number of events managers set up their own event management consultancies. Time commitments are often within regular business hours but may also involve weekend or evening work, depending on the nature of the events. Work venues vary between office/business premises and the actual locations of the events, which can include all manner of indoor and outdoor venues and facilities. Travel to event locations is often a requirement as well. CAREER ROLE EXAMPLES Although the principles of event management can be applied in a wide variety of situations, it can be advantageous to specialise in organising particular types of events, such as parties and weddings, exhibitions and conferences, live cultural events, music festivals, product launches or fundraising events. Following are a sample of event management roles. An even wider range of career possibilities open up for graduates with supporting additional majors and minors in appropriate areas, such as marketing, advertising, social and other media, arts and culture, sport, law and design. Event manager Manages all aspects of the event, including pre-production and event budgeting through to post production. Acts as the daily interface between company and client and as a

4 communication conduit with the management team. Helps plan and develop new events and leads new programmes. Manages event data for customers and financial/ budgetary requirements. Mentors and trains staff. Conference organiser Develops concepts for a conference. Creates plans and documentation and works out a budget. Organises funding, sponsorship and ticketing for the conference. Sources and organises event contractors, staff and volunteers. Books the venue or venues, and event equipment and deals with enquiries about the event. Promotes and markets the conference to media and relevant groups. Oversees the running of the event on the day. Events and activities co-ordinator Designs, organises and implements a programme of activities and events. Assists with the recruitment and training of staff. Prepares plans and budgets for the intended events and maintains accurate records. Works with the communications team on promotion and marketing plans. Co-ordinates performances and activities and carries out event evaluation. Festival director Ultimately responsible for putting together an interesting and appealing festival programme. Collaborates with festival committee and other stakeholders. Scouts for and recruits appropriate talent. Plans and oversees fundraising and financial management. Troubleshoots unexpected problems, resolves conflicts, delegates responsibilities as needed, and inspires the performers to give their best. SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds Ability to develop partner relationships Skilled at interpreting a client brief, developing strategy and writing professional proposals Strong organisational and decision-making skills Ability to deliver events to the highest standards with close attention to detail Financial management, budgeting and planning skills Ability to respond and solve problems on the spot Strengths in prioritising tasks/workload and handling multiple projects PERSONAL QUALITIES Creative, imaginative, innovative, visionary Committed, motivated, enthusiastic and results-driven Positive and confident, with first-class personal presentation Can cope well under pressure and always meet deadlines SALARY GUIDE The nature of the industry is such that there is no regulated salary scale. Entry level Event co-ordinator Event/conference manager (with experience) Sponsorship/ fundraising & events manager Salary $30,000 - $45,000 per year $35,000 - $65,000 per year contract work at $22 - $26 per hour $45,000 - $90,000 per year contract work at $45 - $55 per hour $70,000 - $110,000 per year contract work at $40 - $65 per hour Sources: Statistics NZ (Census 2013), PayScale.com, Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2015, Hudson Salary Guides 2015 Marketing and Product Management Salary range is indicative of the New Zealand job market at the time of publication (early 2015) and should only be used as a guideline. PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION Although professional membership or registration is not usually required, it can be beneficial in terms of career and professional development. Suitable bodies include NZ Association of Event Professionals (NZAEP) and the Conference and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) THE AUT ADVANTAGE AUT events management graduates offer employers the skills, knowledge and experience they have gained through a degree that is unique in Aotearoa New Zealand. With training in cultural matters, leadership, finances, contemporary issues and substantial practical experience with events companies and projects, graduates have a real work-ready advantage when they enter the employment market. FURTHER STUDY OPTIONS Further study in event management is available at postgraduate level, including the Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality Management, Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, Postgraduate Diploma in International Tourism Management, Master of International Hospitality Management, Master of International Tourism Management, Master of Arts, Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy.

5 DESIREE MATCHETT Freelance Event Manager Bachelor of Arts in Event Management After graduating I moved to Qatar in the Middle East where I worked as an event manager at Innovations Unlimited ME in Doha. I am now freelancing on events and projects across the region. Recently I have had the opportunity to work on the Dubai NYE Guinness Book of World Records Fireworks Display, the UNESCO World Heritage Congress Youth Forum and the launch of Carolina Herrera s Jasmine Collection. My work involves delivering events from tendering through to planning and execution. I co-ordinate meetings, create budgets, produce production schedules and manage and train junior team members. Maintaining good relationships is key, whether with clients, department heads or colleagues. Something I love about working in events is that there is always a great sense of achievement, especially when you see how happy the client is with the end result and how all the attendees enjoy what you have created. My ultimate goal is to work on the Olympic Games. EMPLOYER COMMENT Innovations Unlimited ME is a leading events management company producing high-end events that range from corporate launches to large-scale events. We were impressed by the fact that Desiree holds a degree in event management and has experience in local and international events. Her knowledge and skills have been an asset to the company in regards to leading proposals and project managing events. John Jossifakis Director of Events, Innovations Unlimited ME, Doha, Qatar

6 EVENT MANAGEMENT USEFUL WEBSITES NZ Association of Event Professionals (NZAEP) Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic development (ATEED) Event manager blog Event and visual communication association (UK-based) Event magazine For the most up-to-date information on the study of event management, visit our website: You can also contact the AUT Student Centre team for help and advice: 0800 AUT UNI ( ) CITY CAMPUS 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland Central NORTH CAMPUS 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland SOUTH CAMPUS 640 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland AUT MILLENNIUM 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay, Auckland Connect with us now: The information contained in this career sheet was correct at time of print, April 2015.