How to Binge Your Way to an Advanced Meetings Career

March 27, 2020

Meeting professionals who use a slow-down in face-to-face meetings due to coronavirus (COVID-19) containment measures to work on their skills will be prepared to thrive when a new events marketplace emerges after the all-clear sign. Experts warn that agendas will not just pick back up where they left off. After weeks spent on Zoom calls and virtual happy hours, attendees will expect more tech-driven options and companies will look for risk management that takes into account serious disruptions. Smart planners who take the time to sharpen their skills to meet those new expectations will be the ones to excel in the coming rebound.

“Online education is the fastest way to master skills from the convenience of your laptop while earning credits toward your CMP and hearing from experts in the field,” said Howard Givner, founder and CEO of Event Leadership Institute (ELI), which has partnered with Smart Meetings to offer Smart U, Meeting Professional Masterclasses. These in-depth industry courses are formatted for learning specific skills or bingeing to a certification. More than 180 curated educational videos in the Netflix-style library are tailor-made for the current WFH reality. For those seeking more structure, eight professional development certificate courses can be streamed any time, enabling learners to knock out a five-week course in just a day or two.

Pick Your Passion

So, you want to bulk up your planning muscles while quarantined. Where do you start? Michael Granek, ELI president and chief operating officer, said that while anyone can start with the overview of Event & Meeting Management Fundamentals certificate course, he is also seeing a trend toward deep dives on specific topics. Online, on-demand classes are led by working leaders in the field, including Brandt Kruger on chatbots and mobile apps, Mark Addison on Experience Design and Lindsay Maloni on negotiating contracts. They allow planners to access tips that work in the real world. Masterclasses such as Technical Meeting & Event Production offer a way for industry professionals to strengthen their knowledge and learn the language of A/V and event tech to become more efficient planners while earning a certificate and digital credential.