Back to School?

Educational Resources

Planners and aspiring planners will find a wealth of options—both online and in-person— for gaining more knowledge about the industry; everything from four-year degree programs to webinars and seminars.

Academic Degree Programs

New York University: Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management offers full degree graduate and undergraduate programs.

University of Alabama: An undergraduate restaurant, hotel and meetings/events management program develops skills required for a career in hospitality management with concentration in one discipline. Included are courses, practicum and internships.

University of Central Florida: Rosen College of Hospitality Management offers a Bachelor of Science degree in event management.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas: Harrah School of Hotel Administration offers graduate and undergraduate degrees with emphasis on meetings and events management.

Back to School?

How important is academic training to a planning career?

By RUTH A. HILL


The cap and gown ceremony is history and so is the celebrating. You've got the evidence (your diploma) that you've just completed a grinding four-year or more degree program. But you haven't been able to open the door on that meeting and event planning career. Should you stay in school and wait for the job market to turn?

Or maybe you've arrived at the midpoint of your meetings management career only to have the recession stall your progress. Do you wait out the downturn and burnish your credentials with more education?

In this uber-competitive meetings job market, is education of any stripe the way to advance or even maneuver your career?

Most agree that anyone with eyes on a career in meetings and events management can no longer start or move beyond entry-level status with little but on-the-job experience. Most employers want the minimum of a bachelor's degree in something to even launch a career. But they often don't pay—as they once did—for the education they want employees to possess or the salaries some graduates expect.

Planners and planner wannabees are left wondering which way to turn. Aspirants wonder whether they should spend the time, money and effort to get the first degree and then settle for an apprentice-level salary in exchange for job experience. Mid-career people question whether education of any kind—academic, industry or online—is really necessary to move ahead.

The Now Market
According to Dawn Penfold, president of The Meeting Candidate Network, Inc. and MeetingJobs.com, there are no magic answers to landing jobs in today's meetings industry.

"Having a degree remains important because around 80 percent of employers require at least a bachelors, though not in a specific field," she says. "A degree in hospitality and meetings management often helps. But education is never a guarantee of job success."

Employers want it all now—education and experience—in candidates they consider, she notes, adding that anyone with designs on the field should seek a broader knowledge base.

"The problem is that organizations aren't supporting the education piece as much as they used to," Penfold says. "They don't send people to conferences or pay for college courses. If you want to take personal time and pay for opportunities on your own, that is sometimes an option."

Sheryl Sookman Schelter, principal at The Meeting Connection, a meetings industry job placement service, says most employers won't even interview someone who doesn't have a degree.

Even if candidates are just out of school, employers expect them to have ....

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Educational Resources (continued)

Certificates and Continuing Education

George Washington University: The Event Management Certificate Program offers study of best practices in the theoretical and practical aspects of event and meeting management.

New York University: A graduate certificate program correlates with Master of Science degree hospitality programs. A professional certificate and continuing education courses in meeting, conference and event management are on the roster.

The International School of Hospitality: The school partners with University of Nevada at Las Vegas to offer a diploma in hospitality operations with a concentration on event management. Students may elect self-paced online ...

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