Kathryn Jones
Events Officer at University of Central Lancashire
www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynannjones

As part of our commitment to championing the industry, we are talking to people about their careers and what IEM means to them.

Kathryn has worked in her current role of Events Officer for just over two years.  Prior to that, she completed an MA in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management while working at the University of Cumbria organising careers events for students.  She also has experience in the corporate sector organising networking events, dinners and exhibitions for Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

Key events in Kathryn’s current role at the University of Central Lancashire include: Student Recruitment Events, Conferences, VIP Events, a Royal Visit, Building Launches, Business Events, annual Degree Show, annual Science Festival and University Graduation Events.  The university’s science festival welcomes around 15,000 people over three days and Graduation events 30,000 over two weeks.

Kathryn has experience in event operations and safety management, with a focus on creating Event Safety Management plans, Event Control Centre processes and Crowd Safety Management plans for our large on-campus festivals and events.  Leading on operations management and crowd safety management on the ground at events is something she particularly enjoys and she is developing her skills in this area on the University of Cumbria’s Event Operations and Safety Management advanced diploma course.

Q What does the IEM mean to you?
A A chance to network, work on my development and meet other event professionals. I also think it’s important to have a professional body that represents the events sector. The work we do is specialised, and is not covered by the majority of other professional bodies.

Q Why did you decide it was important for you to get involved?
A I’ve been looking for a professional body to join for a while now.  However, I did not feel that the others available fully represented the work I do.  Some look at conferences, others at marketing and I work on a wide variety of events and in a range of different areas of events so  I want the opportunity to connect with others that do the same.

Q Where do you hope to see the IEM in 20 years’ time?
A Members from across the events sector (those working on different types of events and in different areas of events), offering regular relevant CPD programmes, an annual IEM conference (or similar) and regular networking opportunities.  Supporting the development of new Events Professionals, offering mentorship at different levels, e.g. for those at different points in their career.  Offering a professional voice on relevant government policy and industry developments.

Q What is your favourite event related memory?
A It’s tricky to choose just one, but our first on-campus graduation event comes to mind.  In summer 2019, Preston Guild Hall, traditionally the venue for our graduation events, closed unexpectedly.  This left us six weeks to rearrange the event and no venue to do it in.  On top of that, we were about to begin the build for Lancashire Science Festival, a large three day event held on-campus at the end of June.  There were no other suitable venues in the city, so we decided to host the event ourselves.  We transformed our sports centre into a graduation hall, hired in a large marquee for the post-event celebration and repurposed surrounding buildings to make space for gowning and photography.  One of my key areas of focus at the time was Event Safety Management, including the coordination of our Event Control Centre.  Having done both for Lancashire Science Festival, I was asked to transfer this work to Graduation, making sure we had sufficient safety management and command structures in place.  We were only successful because we worked collaboratively with teams across the university.  Particularly the Health and Safety, Emergency and Security Management and Estates Teams.  We came together as an extended team, putting all we could into making the event happen.  The first on-campus graduation event has left a legacy.  We continue to use our Preston campus for the summer and winter graduation events.  It also improved our relationship with teams across the university, enabling us to continue to host successful large events on campus.  I look forward to getting back to our large physical events once we are able.  My favourite memory from the above? Having a drink with the graduation team once the final ceremony was done.  We all deserved it I think!

Jenny Davies
Deputy Events and Duty Manager at Buckinghamshire New University
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-davies-660b3037/

As part of our commitment to championing the industry, we are talking to people about their careers and what IEM means to them.

Jenny is in Commercial Events hire at Bucks New University which includes coordinating venue hire, internal events support, filming location hire, Summer School management, Graduation and Welcome Week.  Prior to that she was involved in Recruitment Events organising Open Days and Applicant Visit Days across three campuses, organising and attending UCAS Fairs across the UK for student recruitment, attending European recruitment fairs in France and Spain, and running the Student Ambassador scheme.  Jenny has also done freelance work for London New Years’ Day Parade, UK School Games, Royal Albert Hall events, BBC Countryfile and fundraising events.  She has also done volunteer work for International Scouting trips and Marsh & Micklefield Big Local Outdoor Cinema Events.

Q What does the IEM mean to you?
A The chance to get a professional recognition for my career, the chance to network with like minded individuals, to share professional work standards and complete relevant, accredited career training.

Q Why did you decide it was important for you to get involved?
A My workplace is not a ‘standard’ events location, but my skills are transferable so being able to get recognition for this and to have my work recognised under the IEM banner if I decide to move to another events role.

Q Where do you hope to see the IEM in 20 years’ time?
A Offering support and benefit to its members across all strands and variations of events management: conferences, accredited courses, networking, jobs board, sharing best practice, inclusivity and mentoring.

Q What is your favourite event related memory?
A At the London New Years Day Parade, one of the most fun things I’ve done is drive the roads around Green Park and Piccadilly at 6am on New Years Day in Golf Buggy’s before the roads were closed – a unique experience! In subsequent years I’ve also followed the parade of horses, shovelling, so each year has offered a very different role!

Rachel Jones
Events Officer at Teesside University
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-jones-29021631

As part of our commitment to championing the industry, we are talking to people about their careers and what IEM means to them.

Rachel is a Microbiology graduate, but science and she parted ways in the final year of her  studies when she was elected as a Students’ Union officer. Following this, Rachel joined Teesside University’s Student Recruitment Team and part of the job was to deliver small events, where she discovered that was what she loved to do.  Rachel was keen to do a postgraduate course and her manager suggested an Events Management Master’s, which she completed in 2014 with Leeds Beckett University, and then secured a role as the Events Officer in 2017 delivering the University’s corporate events calendar with the support of a small team.

Q What does the IEM mean to you?
A I’ve been involved in professional bodies in the past; they provide a great network full of ideas, support, and inspiration. They were invaluable to me early on in my career and I’ve been privileged to give back by delivering training sessions to newer members. This is what the IEM means to me – a start for those new to the sector, helping established event professionals improve, and being a supportive network for all.

Q Why did you decide it was important for you to get involved?
A I completed my Master’s degree in 2014 and have been in a dedicated events post since 2017. I’m at a stage of my career where I’d like to branch out my network in order to develop myself and the IEM is a perfect opportunity for this. As an in-house event professional, it’s important to get out there and work with others in order to improve what I do, and give something back to the industry I’m part of.

Q Where do you hope to see the IEM in 20 years’ time?
A We’re in such a diverse industry but we often share a similar set of challenges. I see the IEM as offering a network of contacts, shared resources and experience, but above all I see the IEM as being a voice of the industry.

Q What is your favourite event related memory?
A This is cliché but it really is hard to choose, so I’ll have to give some highlights: I was lucky enough to get to go to the Radio 1 Big Weekend in 2019 when it was a few miles away from my home. To see some of my favourite artists so close to my home was great and took me back to the days when the Roadshow would come to the very same location when I was younger. I was lucky enough to go to a gig at Lust Glaze Beach in Cornwall a few years ago – it’s a truly unique setting and added so much to the event. As an organiser, it would be the first set of Summer graduation ceremonies after I joined our events team. It was the culmination of months of planning, was my biggest event since taking up my post, and there was such a lovely atmosphere.