Event Management courses – are they worth it?

Over the past decade we have seen an explosion in the number of event management courses available around Australia.

This had led to many discussions within the industry regarding the worth of such courses.

At ASE we receive many requests asking for recommendations regarding courses along with the inevitable “how do I get into the industry?”.

We list whatever courses we know of in the event info section of ASE and suggest potential students get the information direct from the educational institutions.

As to how to get into the industry, I always suggest networking through industry associations, particularly as many of them have discounted fees for students to the networking events and conferences.

I have been particularly aware of a group of students who travel from Newcastle to attend ISES functions in Sydney and of the students who attended the recent MEA conference.

Another way in is for students to volunteer to work as assistants on conferences – the work is not demanding and they get a great opportunity to observe some well-run conferences and events from the inside.
But what do you think of the courses?

When hiring staff do you prefer a tertiary qualification or on-the-job experience?

We are particularly interested in hearing from graduates – what has been your experience? Did your degree help you to get employment in the industry, or might you have been able to get in without it?

Please post your comments in the forum and look for follow-up to your comments.

All Points of the Compass

I was serving in the RAAF during the latter years of the Vietnam War and vividly remember the bail out by the Americans 30 years ago last month.
I also remember the many (often colourful) characters from the many sides, including South Vietnam's last foreign minister, Charles Tran Van Lam.
So it was with interest that I watched the documentary “All Points of the Compass” which told the story of the Lam children who, during the war, had been sent to many different countries to be educated. Following the fall of Saigon the family did not return to Vietnam but stayed on to make a new life in the countries in which they were studying.
Therese Tran Van Lam settled in Australia with her parents who opened a restaurant in Canberra. She now works for the ABC in Sydney and was instrumental in the documentary being made – based on a collection of home movies made by her father.
Therese is married to Peter Miller – well known in the event industry as a corporate MC.
This got me thinking about “degrees of separation” and how those of us who know Peter are within six degrees of separation of George W Bush.
Me – Peter – Therese – Charles Tran Van Lam – Richard Nixon (with whom Charles negotiated) – George Bush Snr – George Dubya.
Scary isn’t it?
Peter and Therese have collated media stories about the documentary on his website – worth a read.
All Points of the Compass

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