Working towards a career in events management
It may be Christmas but some people’s thoughts are already turning towards next summer.
Tourism, the leisure industry and events is an increaingly important business sector in Suffolk, and predicted to grow in the years ahead.
Already major events in the county are important for business success in the town and county, along with the endearing attractions of coast and countryside.
So events management has a growng role.
There is an increasing focus on it among business students at UCS in Ipswich.
A working party of students are already making early plans for the UCS summer ball, which will be at the Ipswich Corn Exchange in May 2015.
Students from the BA (Hons) Event Management course organised the summer ball this year, which was attended by around 700 and was great fun, according to those who were there.
Course leader Laura Locke said: “Last year we had 700 and this year we will get around 1,000, at the Corn Exchange in the centre of Ipswich.
“It is going to be a great occasion.
“It is a very good venue and it is where they graduate now (the Town Hall complex).
“The summer ball is a live project for some of our students and they take it very seriously.”
The course is intended to develop the range of skills and knowledge required by managers of the future in the event, tourism, hospitality and leisure industries.
Already events such as the Suffolk Show, Maritime Ipswich and Maritime Woodbridge are major attractions for tourists.
Laura added: “Events and tourism management is going to be a growth area, and we are proud of our students and what they are doing.
“We work very closely with students doing live projects, and working in the community and internships.
“We work closely with many local businesses and organisations, Including charities such as EACH ans St Elizabeth Hospice, and with organisations like Trinity Park (Suffolk Showground).”
The course is growing in popularity within the business school.
It is available as a three year full-time degree course or five years - one day a week.
It takes 50 students in the first year.
New to the business school, from Setember 2015, is Professional Practice in Heritage Management, which links in with another growing area of interest, that is heritage tourism, conservation and management.
The course, whose leader is Dr Geraint Coles, is MA one year full time or MA two to four years, part-time. It is being run in partnership with the Colchester and Ipswich Museums service.
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