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Study your options

James Barrett takes a look at the lie of the organising land for university graduates.

A recent report in The Times newspaper showed that only one in five final-year university students expect to secure a job by the time they graduate this summer. Of 16,357 students interviewed, only five per cent had a definite job offer, compared to 20 per cent last year.

Around 10 years ago, travel and tourism was the ‘go to’ course for many students who fancied something that unleashed their inner creativity and had the attraction of travelling the globe.

Now, universities have seen a shift towards courses for conference and event organising. Even popular culture played its part, with films like ‘The Wedding Planner’ starring Jennifer Lopez being cited by potential students as the first insight they got into the world of organising events.

With that in mind, how can university graduates who have embarked on courses preparing them for conference and event organising make the most of their new qualification? Employers are weighing up recruitment options very carefully these days. So, what are the prospects for those eager?

Course leader of the MA in conference and events management at the University of Westminster, Rob Davidson, says: “Our students fall into two categories essentially. One set are full time students who wish to enter a career in the conference/event industry. The others are part time students, who already work in the industry, but who want to study to expand their knowledge and further their careers.

“The industry is seen as being a gateway to a glamorous job, jetting off all over the world to mingle with celebrities and quaff champagne within the event they’ve created. But, the ones that really survive are those that know it’s extremely hard work and are willing to be flexible and open-minded on issues,” continues Davidson.

“Graduates should think about what roles are really going to be available upon leaving university. Just because their dream role isn’t obtainable at that time, they should think about joining a relevant company that may need salespeople or administrators. A foot in the door is often the best way to start moving up the ladder,” says Davidson.

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