If you have excellent communication and customer service skills then a career as an Event Manager could be for you.
Career Overview
Event Managers are the people who organise conferences and parties for people. They help clients to have the best events of all time. Event Managers work with the clients to gather all the necessary information to meet the client’s needs and in some cases surpass the client’s expectations. Together with caters, DJ’s, venue managers and a string of other people, they work tirelessly to give their clients an experience of a lifetime.
Required School Subjects
You will need to have taken the following subjects at high school:
- English
- Mathematics/Mathematical Literacy
Recommended subjects:
- Tourism
- Business Studies
Institution and APS
The following institutions are highly recommended for studies in the arts:
- University of Pretoria (UP) – APS of 28
- University of Johannesburg (UJ) – APS of 24
- Cape Pennisula Univerisity of Technology (CPUT) – APS of 28
Required Qualification/s
A Bachelor’s Degree/Higher National Diploma in Event Management or Hospitality Management, are qualifications that make it easier to obtain a job. However, it is possible to obtain a job solely on relevant experience, personal skills and qualities.
Required Skills
The following are generally found in Event Managers:
- Work well under pressure
- Time management skills
- Negotiation skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Flexibility
- Energetic
- Creative and Innovative
- Detail-orientated
- Passionate and Enthusiastic
- Leadership skills
- Superior Organisational skills
- Tech savvy
Where you can work
As an Event Manager, employment is available in several different sectors. From private to public and non-profit organisations and some of them include:
- Conference and exhibition centres
- Event venues
- Charities
- Large commercial organisations
- Educational Institutions
- Local government
- Public Relations (PR) Agencies
- Specialist Event Management Consultancies
- Public Sector
Working Hours
Event Managers generally work standard 8am – 5pm hours. The period leading up to the execution of the event might require more hands on deck, meaning you might be required to work extra hours until the event has been completed.
Expected Salary
The salary for an Event Manager in South Africa is estimated to range between R118 922 to R534 797 – with the average being R273 350. In this field, the more experience you have the better your salary will be. Another factor to consider is the kind of establishment you are working for, the bigger it is the better the salary.
What to expect
The following are some of the things one can expect in this career.
- Projects will require frequent traveling, either to the vendors or the client. This also means that even though some work needs to be completed in the office, a great deal needs you to be outside for it to be completed
- Some projects might require you to travel around the country or outside of the country as well
- Self-employment and freelancing are possible once enough experience has been acquired
- Job opportunities are available internationally and depending on the size of the organisation, the possibilitiy of working overseas is a high
Related Articles
Pros and Cons of Distance Learning in South Africa
Distance learning is a great way to study from the comfort of your own
How to Begin a Career in Event Planning
As an event planner, you have the power to help people turn their special days into reality. Here’s How to Begin a Career in Event Planning.
