The magic of networking has helped a university student take the first steps in their events career after a chance meeting at ABPCO's Festival of Learning 2024.
University of Surrey student Joy Hurrell won an ACC
Liverpool-sponsored place at the ABPCO Festival of Learning in Glasgow in April, where she met Sanj Kumar, CEO
of European medical research group ELRIG.
Sanj Kumar was so impressed with Hurrell’s energy and
proactive attitude during their conversation at the event that he offered her a role at ELRIG – and the first step on the
ladder in her events career.
Hurrell said: “When I applied for the sponsorship, I was
hoping to learn more about the conference world and network with industry professionals,
potentially to help me find a graduate job – which having met Sanj, I would say
was successful!”
The ACC Liverpool sponsorship covered travel, accommodation,
entry, and other expenses, making it possible for Hurrell to attend an event
that she otherwise may not have been able to.
“Joy joined us at a networking table and impressed me with
her contributions to the discussion, self-confidence and the energy that she
had,” said Kumar. “As a small association, we always need additional resources,
but adding extra full-time employees is always difficult to justify.
“As Joy was about to graduate with an events degree, and
then planning to travel later in the year, she was available to contract with
us, on a single project, supporting our largest event, during a time when we
needed additional resources, but also suited her post-degree plans.”
Hurrell added that while she enjoyed getting stuck into the
role, she would like to have been more prepared for the day-to-day
responsibilities of working in the events industry.
She said: “Academic theory provides a good basis of
knowledge, but helping students understand what their job tasks will look like
could make a massive difference to those going into placements or graduate jobs
- and I think reduce some of that ‘unknown’ factor. For instance, I think
having a core module on digital skills, including using events software
platforms, would be a great way to prepare students for the needs of hybrid and
remote working.”
“Joy has been great and added value, but the world of work
is very different from studying for a degree, so more work experience for new
graduates would help a lot,” added Kumar. “I also feel that as ELRIG is small,
we struggle to train and support new graduates adequately. Unfortunately, Joy
has been thrown in the deep end, but fortunately she has thrived.”
The Festival of Learning is a two-day educational programme
that welcomes ABPCO members and non-members, aimed at all those delivering
events in the association, charity and not-for-profit sector.
The next edition takes place on 28-29 April 2025 at Eastside
Rooms in Birmingham. ACC Liverpool will once again be supporting five students to
attend the Festival of Learning - to find out more, see the details here: https://www.abpco.org/events/218/abpco_festival_of_learning_2025
