What Education is Needed for a Career in Corporate Event Planning?

<p>A bachelor's degree in event planning or hospitality management is the general education requirement for aspiring corporate event planners. Courses in these programs might focus on special events management; convention management and meeting planning; festival management; and travel, accommodations and destination planning. Students also are likely to learn about business law, contracts and negotiations and explore technology related to hospitality and event planning. Most programs will include one or more internships, and many include a planning project. </p> <p>Students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and would like to learn about event planning might opt to enroll in a professional certificate program in the field. These programs take less time to complete than a degree program, and they generally cover food and beverage planning, site selection, social media in event planning and sustainable practices, among other hospitality topics. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutThisOccupation">Important Facts About This Occupation</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> Office setting</td></tr> <tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td>Administrative services manager, lodging manager, travel agent</td></tr> <tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $49,470 (<i>for meeting, convention, and event planners</i>)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 18% (<i>for meeting, convention, and event planners</i>)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---CorporateEventPlannerDuties">Corporate Event Planner Duties</h3> <p>Corporate event planners coordinate award ceremonies, company picnics, grand openings, sales meetings and a variety of other special events for private firms. Specific duties might include the following: </p> <ul><li>Initiating contact with vendors and inspecting sites for company events </li><li>Negotiating with clients, vendors and other service providers to reduce event costs </li><li>Designing and effectively managing major corporate events such as anniversaries and recognition ceremonies </li><li>Creating and implementing corporate sales events </li><li>Building teamwork and boosting morale among employees through company events</li></ul>