What can you do with an events management degree?

Things to consider when choosing a career or considering further study

Celebrants dancing during the colourful Holi Festival

Knowledge and skills

Your studies will provide a broad range of skills that are valuable to employers:

planning and project management through independent research tasks and practical modules
managing the logistics of planning and staging events, from conception to final delivery
budgeting and learning how to raise funds
marketing and promoting your events
developing a strong awareness of customer service and working closely to a client brief
written and verbal communication through writing and presenting reports
problem-solving and flexibility through multiple, complex caseloads and working events from set-up to pack down
team-work and leadership skills through group projects
collecting, analysing and evaluating information through seminar work and independent assignments
time management through juggling different module assessment requirements and work-based learning alongside studies.

Career options

15 months after graduating*

100% of our events management graduates are in work or further study

79% of our events management graduates said their current activity is meaningful

79% of graduates say their degree was a formal requirement for their job or gave them an advantage

Events management is an exciting, varied and fast-paced career path, and the degree will equip you with the skills needed to run events ranging from smaller corporate gatherings to larger festivals and weddings (to name a few). The course offers practical modules, which are the perfect opportunity to gauge which events interest you and could indicate the next steps you take when you graduate. Typical settings include hospitality (such as hotels and conference centres), sport, leisure and business, as well as charities and fundraising within the voluntary sector.

Less obvious settings can also include heritage (such as in museums and visitor centres) or in the corporate world as a marketing executive. Your attention to detail and ability to measure the needs of the client will lend itself to these career paths well. The course also gives you the option to learn a second language, which would open up further career avenues and client bases.

One thing to bear in mind with graduate options for events management is the competitive nature of the job, so gaining experience in varied events settings will stand you in good stead going forward.

*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys covering the three years of 2019/20 – 2021/22. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.

Researching your career options

With such a wide range of careers open to you as an events management graduate, you should explore and research your options thoroughly so that you can make informed decisions about your future.

As an example, the sports, leisure and events sector offers a broad range of opportunities for graduates, with many connected to specific services such as sports and fitness, running sports centres, event management, marketing and promotion, film and TV and even technical IT. Many sports are far more complex nowadays than they ever used to be and have a raft of organisations and associations behind them that may well offer up a range of opportunities for graduates.

There are very few graduate schemes available in this sector - ones that do exist tend to be limited to larger organisations. Therefore, experience can be crucial. You can gain this through part-time jobs or voluntary work, and you will need to consider how you can best add your own experience to your CV. Rather than applying for vacancies through a formal recruitment process, networking can also be a great way to find out about opportunities. So, think about building your network from an industry perspective.

The following websites provide helpful information and inspiration for career research:

Prospects
Association of Event Organisers
Event Marketing Association
Institute of Event Management
The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers
Conference News
Association of Event Venues
Leisure Opportunities – jobs in the sport and leisure industry including marketing, sales and events management
Leisurejobs – thousands of jobs across the UK Europe and worldwide
World Leisure Jobs – news and jobs for the worldwide leisure industry
Hawk-Eye Innovations – sports vision-processing, video replay opportunities
IMG – world class sports media opportunities
Event Job Search – a specialist site for event and audio-visual jobs

Employment opportunities

Below is a snapshot of what some University of Plymouth events management graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation. For some graduates, these jobs serve as ‘stepping stones’ to professional posts by providing relevant workplace experience.

Brand Manager
Civil Servant
Digital Operations Executive
Events Advisor

Graduate Project Manager
Operations Executive
Recruitment Consultant
Social Media Consultant

Employers

Cabinet Office
Creative Engagement Group
Eden Project Communities
Formula One

National Highways
St Lukes Hospice, Plymouth
The RNLI
University of Reading

Things to consider when choosing a career or considering further study after studying an events management degree

Discover employment and further study opportunities that you could consider once you graduate with an events management degree and learn how you can stand out to graduate employers.

We encourage you to:

undertake career planning and research
build your networks, meet employers and graduates
gain essential work experience during your course
attend career fairs and events
continually develop your skills and knowledge
get involved with relevant clubs and societies
visit the Careers Service for advice.

Further study

Some of the careers chosen by events management graduates will require – or benefit from – further study, so this should be considered carefully. The University of Plymouth offers the following postgraduate study options that could be of interest:

You should consider the financial implications of further study as well as selecting a programme that suits your interests, learning style and future career direction. The following websites are a good starting point for exploring postgraduate options, but you may also benefit from talking to a Careers Consultant about your particular situation.

Some useful websites to help you find a suitable postgraduate programme:

It is also worth investigating what

further study options the University has to offer

as you may find the perfect course for yourself in an institution you already know. There are also sometimes financial benefits of staying on such as a fee discount to Alumni –

find out your funding options

Careers Service support

Accessing support from the Careers Service couldn’t be easier; come along to the Careers Service Helpdesk in the

Student Hub

or access our

24/7 online resources

A wide range of support is available from skills workshops to events, placements and internships advice, 1-2-1 appointments and help getting started with LinkedIn.

Our bite-sized Skills Workshops can give your career the boost it needs. Choose from a range of topics:

effective career planning
job hunting techniques
finding part-time work
CVs and interviews
mastering LinkedIn
and more.

Workshops are delivered by the Careers Service; however, they are also an opportunity to learn from your peers, share experiences and ask questions. Visit myCareer to see the full range of activities and to book your place.

Connect with graduates

Build your network and job-sector knowledge using LinkedIn’s alumni tool. This will allow you to see the career journeys of graduates from your programme, the qualifications they completed, the skills they developed and the employers they worked for. You can then ‘connect’ with people of interest.

search LinkedIn for ‘University of Plymouth’
select ‘Alumni’
filter the results by subject, sector, company or location.

For more information about the alumni tool, select the LinkedIn alumni tool guide. If you are looking for help with setting up or learning how to make the most out of your LinkedIn profile, select the LinkedIn guide for students or

come to one of our workshops

Other advice and guidance

Gain work experience

Undertaking work experience in your first and second years will help you stand out from the crowd when the time comes for you to complete applications for graduate employment and further study. Work experience develops valuable skills and qualities that employers are looking for and is essential for many roles. It can also help you to confirm or rule out particular career choices. Furthermore, experience in the workplace can bring you into contact with people who may be able to assist you at the beginning of your career.

You have plenty of options open to you. You could apply for a placement year, work part-time around your studies, undertake volunteering or approach organisations directly to negotiate short periods of work experience. Some organisations offer paid internships over the summer or of one year’s duration.

The University of Plymouth Students’ Union also offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities

Clubs and societies

Engaging in a sport or society shows employers you are engaged and can seek out opportunities. It also helps you improve your teamwork, communication and negotiation skills. Committee members develop leadership, diplomacy and organisational skills and will gain experience of meetings, handling funds and society promotion.

You may choose to join a society that is specifically linked to events management or take the opportunity to explore the University’s wide range of clubs, societies and sports, all of which can help you to broaden your horizons and explore new interests.

Tutor and academic support

Your tutor and other academic staff are excellent sources of support for your career development. They will have experience and contacts across industry and academia, so definitely approach them for advice and insights into careers you are considering. Your tutor will ultimately write references for your employment or further study applications, so establishing a positive relationship with this person is invaluable.