Event management is fast becoming a popular course among students. If you’re looking to do event management, there are a few criteria that you need to consider.

Do you have what it takes?

Do you enjoy using your organisational skills to put up events, press conferences, product launching or even a charity drive to help boost a company’s social responsibility programme? Are you outgoing, outspoken and relish in meeting people in new surroundings? Do you have the drive and motivation to work hard and long hours? Would you take your job description literally or wouldn’t mind sweeping the floor and serving drinks if you had to? If you can answer favourably to all these questions, then you probably have the right attitude and skills to pursue a course in event management.

Strong practical work

Studying event management should include a lot of practical work. It is no use studying theories and confining learning within a lecture theatre. Students must be able to stage events as part of their course. These could involve putting together an event to raise money for a charitable organisation. From looking for sponsors for gazebos and approaching ministers to officiate the event’s opening ceremony, students must also have the opportunity to produce press releases and other marketing materials to promote the event.  Doing this from start to finish will not only add to your portfolio, but also expose you to the real world of events.

Healthy links with industry players

Finding out if the university has strong ties with event employers must be one of the questions a student asks when finding out about a university’s course. This ensures that the institution’s courses remain current and updated to serve the ever changing needs of the employers and the industry. This way, students will be gaining knowledge, skills and experience that will make them more marketable upon graduation.

Compulsory internship

Event management courses that include 3 months or more of compulsory internship will expose students to work experience opportunities. In some cases, students on internships have gone on to receive job offers from their employers. This is beneficial to both parties because the student would be able to secure a job quickly and also find out what sort of working environment suits them best.  

A good mix of everything

To look for the perfect event management course, try to look for one that covers the basic logistics of organising an event, marketing and advertising it, health and safety implications, catering, workable strategies and industry-trained lecturers. Often, many higher educational institutions employ fresh graduates as lecturers, who may be young and energetic, but lack the knowledge of seasoned lecturers who have worked before in the industry. Learning events is one of the courses that requires students to be comfortable with the ‘not so cool’ behind the scenes activities that lead up to a great event, and for that, one can only learn from someone who has been through it. Hence, remember to ask about a university’s teaching staff before signing on the course.

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