At Beam’s All Member Meeting at Mercure Manchester Piccadily Hotel on April 30, a panel of final year students from Manchester Metropolitan University urged the industry to open the doors.
The panel, hosted by Beamboard’s Caroline Medcalf, featured senior lecturers Jonathan Sibley and students, Lucy Hucklebridge Key, Lammana Promi, Claire Pisilla and Rachel Wheeler.
Talking to the room of over 100 industry professionals, students provided bold and honest insight into what the next generation wants from the workplace, explaining that they are interested in opportunities to learn, grow and contribute, not in the brand of potential employers.
Wheeler shares that her biggest fear of entering the industry is “thrown into the deep edge without support,” and hopes to find a workplace where she can take responsibility while someone relies on everyday questions.
Hucklebridge-Key added that he is worried about slowing down others by requiring training. She also revealed that she had not heard about the event industry until her family mentioned it, highlighting the need to increase awareness and visibility among young people.
Another important barrier is the lack of clarity regarding job titles and expectations, particularly at the entry level, making it difficult for students to understand roles and map career paths.
Mentorship emerged as another important theme, with formal schemes such as Elevate and Fast Forward 15 being praised, but it was informal, everyday instruction that students felt had the biggest impact. Sibley said:
Expression is another important topic, with PROMI highlighting the barriers and lack of visible diversity as a picilla and the importance of role models of color in leadership roles.
Students expressed a strong desire for meaningful behavior for sustainability, witnessed industrial waste during placement and looked at which companies were stepping up.
After the session, Louise Watson of Beam Chair said: “To be very clear about the fears and ambitions in front of a room full of senior experts was inspiring, and humble. There was also a lot to take away from the session.
She added: “We all have a role to play in raising our industry profiles. We encourage all organizations and individuals to reach out to local schools and universities and join in great initiatives like the Events Schools program to open more doors to the future of our sector.”
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