For the first time in Africa and perhaps internationally – South African event planners with a whole range of designations and responsibilities can look forward to recognition and rewards for their hard-earned planning knowledge. CPD (Continuing Professional Development) is a well-known process in many business sectors and it is overdue that the event management folk get involved in this innovative initiative – which is likely to seriously improve planning standards within the MICE industry.
In 2013, the Academy investigated, researched and experimented with a range of methods that would be in-line with the NQF (National Qualification Framework). The outcomes have set-the-scene for the MICE Academy in 2014.
The majority of MICE industry specialists have a short attention span for anything other than the series of professional tasks being undertaken at any one time. Yet meeting planner practitioners do crave recognition and reward from an independent, well-informed source. With erratic working hours combined with the frustration of overcoming a variety of on and off-site challenges – a gratis week-end away by a well-intentioned supplier just doesn’t cut it.
One of the criticisms with most event management training programmes are the number of trainers that either have limited hands-on, up-to-date actual planning experience. Further short-comings with ‘public’ courses is the likelihood that each individual participant has specific planning requirements stemming from the company, association or government agency culture and internal political stance. In turn it is unlikely that the trainer/lecturer has sought in-depth knowledge on each participant’s background. The outcome is usually generic information which is handy to know yet a challenge to implement.
Event Planning Managers learn at the coal-face. With the MICE online CPD Programme – which includes up-to-date back-up published documentation on a range of MICE topics – the event planning practitioner can relate the published articles to their set of circumstances and be tested accordingly.
Since launching the CPD online Programme, the Academy is receiving a daily steady stream of registrants from event management departments within the corporate and association sectors throughout South Africa and as far afield as the United Kingdom.
Explore the CPD online MICE Programme – check the website at www.miceacademy.co.za for all the details.
