ICC Birmingham has partnered with youth charity The Prince’s Trust and West Midlands event crewing company Crewsaders on a four-day programme designed to attract young people into the sector.
The ‘Get into events’ programme for 18-30 year-olds will provide young talent with the skills they need to have a career in events.
All participants are currently unemployed, and the programme aims to deliver key insight and training into the practical aspects of event crewing; equipping them with new skills and experience that they perhaps wouldn’t have received otherwise. The programme also aims to tackle the current skills shortage in the event industry.
Crewsaders operations director, Calum McConnachie, said: “Once the pandemic hit, the events industry lost a lot of its key ancillary workers. There needs to be real focus on harnessing young talent to rebuild a strong network of event professionals from grassroots up.
“By crafting the Get Into Events programme alongside The Prince’s Trust and our social value partners, we wanted to create a meaningful pathway for unskilled youth to enter events in an accessible and practical way.”
The Prince’s Trust youth development lead Anthony Bell added: ‘With the increase in events now taking place, the young people on the programme are able to see first-hand how a career in the events sector could be a reality for them in the future. They are able to develop practical skills such as teamwork and the foundations of crewing an event, while also gaining insight into the many roles within the events industry. The young people really enjoy the experience of working alongside staff at Crewsaders, who are supportive and inspiring in equal measure.’
Allan Boyle, General Manager, NEC Group Conventions, said: “The live events industry is a fantastic pathway for young people keen to find a vocation and develop practical life skills. However, we often struggle to get the word out about how to start in the sector. Hosting courses like these with our partners brings the events industry to life for young people, turning it into an accessible option which can become an exciting career.”
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
