Building a Career in Event Management in Canada

Event planning and management has come a long way. Gone are the days when people behind the scenes who got the job done were not in limelight and remained anonymous. Nowadays, the field offers great recognition, handsome pay packages and creative satisfaction.

The event industry is rapidly growing with no signs of slowing down. Events not only create mass awareness but also stimulate economies, promote tourism, generate revenue, involve public and promote art and culture. Event management may include planning, organizing and marketing for festivals, conferences, sports tournaments, fashion events, fitness and recreation programs and organizing weddings, meetings and parties.

The employment prospects in this industry are bright. Both individuals and businesses outsource the job of event planning and organizing to professionals who quickly get the job done, ensuring everything is done flawlessly. The best part is that the event planners no longer remain unnamed. In fact, a career in event planning brings great rewards and recognition.

Building a Career in Event Management in Canada

Although there has been a significant increase in the job opportunities in this field but the job market is more competitive than ever. Individuals interested in building a career in this field are expected to have a thorough understanding of event planning, marketing, budgeting, logistics, networking and operations.

Education

The professionals are expected to have undergone specialized education and training in this field. In fact, this is the minimum requirement to enter the world of work. A postgraduate program in event management – festival and conference prepares students for rewarding careers in this exciting and rapidly growing industry.

The one-year program in event management covers a wide range of subjects, including event marketing – festival and conference, volunteer and team building coordination, sponsorship development, networking and industry relations, event budgeting, risk and security management, site logistics and operations management, programming community and cultural festivals, events and conferences, creativity and innovation and communications and media planning.

The students of this program learn to:

• Develop and implement financial/fundraising initiatives
• Plan, design and coordinate site operations
• Market festivals, events and conferences
• Manage personnel
• Handle accounts and finances
• Adhere to ethics of event management and professionalism

Additional Skills

The program helps students develop strong communication and interpersonal skills. They demonstrate the ability to motivate people working with them and meet time deadlines. In addition, they develop strong numeracy, critical analysis and problem resolving skills.

Admission Prerequisites

Centennial College’s event management program is accredited by UNTWO TedQual. In order to enroll in an event management program, students will need a college diploma or university degree in hospitality, tourism or related discipline and related work experience. Candidates with diploma or degree in an unrelated discipline can also apply for this program. However, they need to possess relevant work experience in a related field. Apart from this, the event management college in Ontario also accepts candidates with partial post-secondary education (minimum two years) and relevant work experience in hospitality.

Career Opportunities

The graduates of this program can find employment with hotels, convention and conference centres, corporations, sports and recreational organizations, tourism and non-profit organizations, festivals, arts and cultural organizations, and event marketing and management organizations.