A Career for Life
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A career for life Business and Consumer Events MEET 10 PEOPLE WITH 10 DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS This could be YOU Second edition eeaa.com.au “Imagine being part of a team that organises events for 300, 3,000 or even 30,000 people…or creating something that doesn’t exist yet… or travelling the globe in a job you love…this could be YOU!” It takes all types of people with all kinds of skills to create an event. In this issue we feature 10 young and successful professionals working in the following roles: • Digital Engineer • Motion Graphic Designer • Financial Director • Head of New Business • Event Operations • Marketing Communications • Event Management • General Management They all have excelled in their roles in the exciting world of business and consumer events. This could be YOU. Photo: RTAA Yellow Tie Dinner 2017 It takes all types of people, with all kinds of skills, to create an event. Allow us to introduce you to 10 young people with interesting careers in the events industry. You’ll be surprised at the range of roles. Some are front-of-house. Others are behind the scenes. Each requires different skills. Each requires passion and commitment. It takes a team to create an event. And you could have a Career for Life if you choose to work in our industry. There are many pathways. There are many job types. Business and consumer events play a pivotal role in driving Australia’s economy. EY estimated the industry contributed just over $30b in direct expenditure, $13b in direct value- add and nearly 200,000 jobs to the Australian economy. Globally, the exhibition sector has created over 680,000 jobs and attracts over 260 million visitors to its 31,000 trade and consumer shows. It’s a global industry that can take you all around the world, while small enough that you feel part of a team. Whether you’re a teacher, career advisor, parent or student, we invite you to consider the many career possibilities available in business and consumer events. There is a Career for Life. Joyce DiMascio Chief Executive Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia NAME: Supriya Shakya ROLE: Head of Digital COMPANY: Reed Exhibitions Australia “We turn a concept into an operational reality. That’s what my job is. It’s creative, challenging and there’s so much innovation you can do around events.” subsequently joined Reed Exhibitions Australia as DIGITAL ENGINEER eBusiness Manager before her current role as Head of Engineer and Head of Digital at Reed Exhibitions Digital. Australia, Supriya Shakya is no stranger to adversity, breaking down stereotypes and triumphing in a male- Reed Exhibitions is a global leading event organiser, dominated field. running over 500 events from 40 offices in 30 countries. In Australia, Reed Exhibitions runs over 25 events each Supriya has transformed the exhibition world, leading year from trade, retail and consumer exhibitions to some of the most innovative technical solutions in conferences and meetings. the industry. In 2018, a product created and launched under her leadership received the Exhibition and Event As Head of Digital, Supriya is the “ideas person”, Association of Australasia (EEAA) Award for Excellence combining important technical skills with creative, for Best Innovation in Event Technology. Recently innovative thinking to see how digital can add value she was listed under the RELX, a global provider of across the company both for customers and internal information-based analytics and decision tools, Group users. Innovation Honour Roll. Supriya’s role has a lot of contact with different parts of Her resume is nothing short of impressive. However, her organisation. She could be working on application Supriya explains that she has faced plenty of set-backs. of digital products or addressing challenges within the Supriya studied Engineering in Nepal before moving to business and show team. Sydney, Australia to complete a Masters in IT. Coming On other days, she could be liaising with the marketing into Australia on a student visa, Supriya found it difficult director or brainstorming new ideas with the technology to find a job in technology. team. “I didn’t have any Australian work experience and I was Supriya also works closely with Reed’s international on a visa with limited work permit. There is also a bit of offices, usually discussing enterprise solutions and their stigma coming from a non-English speaking country. It implementation in Australia. was quite hard to break that.” Supriya says. Although the deadlines are stressful, she says they are “When I first started applying for jobs, I got more than motivating and the events are rewarding. 50 rejections. Getting rejected was really hard but it was “I love that I can “see” a solution that’s been worked on.” such a learning curve as well.” She says. She says. Supriya started her career as a software engineer and NAME: Kien Tan AGE: 33 ROLE: General Manager COMPANY: The Monkey’s Cobbler “Every job presents new opportunities and things you have never done before. Sometimes it’s a lot harder than it seems. You’ve got to back yourself.” Over time Kien’s role has become more expansive also MOTION GRAPHC DESIGNER encompassing production management. Studying Graphic Design at TAFE, Kien’s career path into the events industry was more or less a happy accident. In his role as General Manager, Kien liaises with clients, assists with design production and ensures the content Kien imagined a number of careers for himself, from is successfully delivered at the event. digital specialist and animator to video production and television advertising. While Kien did not set out to join the exhibitions and events industry, he enjoys the variety it presents and the When the global financial crisis hit, those jobs never dynamic and fast-paced environment it brings. eventuated and Kien became the first employee at The Monkey’s Cobbler (TMC) in the role of Junior Graphic “Every job is different. Even when we do the same Designer. Ten years later, Kien has progressed to Senior award show year after year - each time the look will be Graphic Designer and General Manager. different, the feel will be different. You’re never re- treading too much of the same ground.” Kien says. TMC is a creative studio based in Sydney, specialising in motion graphics, video production and digital. TMC Kien says this variety can bring about new challenges. produces content for a range of events including the “Every job presents new opportunities and things you APRA Music Awards Interviews and GQ Men of the Year have never done before. Sometimes it’s a lot harder Awards. than it seems. You’ve got to back yourself.” He says. While Kien’s title is General Manager, he is first and Kien says it is important to keep an open-mind and foremost an animator and graphic designer. Imagine attitude when it comes to your career path. producing the Academy Awards - this is what Kien does “When you actually get out and look for work and for many different industries. take on jobs, just be open, you might find yourself in a He creates on-screen content for events, including completely different position and that can be a good award shows, brand activations, communications, thing.” He says. conferences, exhibitions and trade events. Kien has produced content for events including the AFTA National Travel Industry Awards and Australia’s premier investor event, SOHN Hearts and Minds Investment Leaders Conference. “Looking back at it now, I’m not even sure how I did it but FINANCIAL DIRECTOR it taught me a lot of skills that I didn’t have to begin with. From serving hot chips and hamburgers at the local café I had to learn to delegate, prioritise and say no. It helped to crunching numbers as the director of finance at one refine leadership skills.” She says. of Australia’s leading venues, International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney, Erica always knew she had an As director of finance at ICC Sydney, Erica forecasts affinity with the hospitality industry. After completing numbers for the next five years, advising on any work experience at KPMG and a hotel in Canberra, she opportunities and risks. knew she wanted to combine hospitality with her love of Forecasting numbers for a $1.5 billion world-class event numbers. destination is a high pressure position because these “I was lucky that I knew what I wanted to do very early.” numbers influence what decisions are made. Erica says. “I have a team working with me and accuracy is very Erica’s career in the hotel industry began as a trainee at important in the finance department.” She says. the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney and it was here that she Boasting spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and developed a “spark” for finance. During the Sydney 2000 the city skyline, ICC Sydney is situated in the heart of Olympic Games, Erica was seconded to the finance Sydney and hosts a range of events from banquets for department to collect deposits. over 2,000 attendees to concerts in its theatre with a “I loved it. I was just lucky the financial controller at the capacity of 9,000. time saw the spark as well and offered me my first full “I have the luxury of being able to crunch the numbers time role in the finance department.” She says. in my office. Then walk outside and see the visual and With her sights set on finance roles, Erica completed tangible side of the numbers with our amazing events. a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting by That’s unique to hospitality.” She says.