Students Speak: The Future Is in Their Hands

With an aging population at the helm, all the convention and exhibition industry's trade associations – not just the Professional Convention Management Assn. – are working to cultivate a pool of viable future leaders. PCMA has done more than others though, offering guidance and financial support to student chapters as a way of encouraging millenials to get interested and involved in the convention management business.

Tradeshow Week tracked down leaders from three student chapters to find out, straight from the source, what's on the mind of the next generation of convention managers. They are Jill Chochole, president of the PCMA student chapter at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellen, Ill.; Megan Davis, president of the chapter at British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, British Columbia; and Erica Rogerson, president of the chapter at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich.

Question: Do you think the convention industry presents an appealing career option for someone of your generation?

Davis: For those that understand what the convention industry involves, yes, I believe many aspects of the convention industry are very appealing to students these days. I think students are particularly driven by the opportunity to travel through work.

Chochole: Yes, I think the growing number of secondary and post-secondary programs offered in this industry speaks for itself. I think it's appealing because it is challenging, demanding and constantly changing. My generation is made up of creative thinkers and problem solvers, and planning meetings addresses both these qualities.

Q: Are your peers generally aware of the convention business as a potential career choice?

Davis: My peers are aware of the possibilities available in the convention industry, as our Tourism Marketing Management program includes a course called Meetings, Conventions and Incentive Travel. I suspect students in other business programs would have a very low level of awareness.

Chochole: I would have to say no, not initially. When I talk to those not already pursuing a career in this profession, I get a look of confusion and the inevitable statement of, “Oh ... you mean a party planner!” After some discussion (usually with the use of examples such as big-name convention centers or popular annual events), they begin to see the bigger picture.

Rogerson: I do not think a majority of my generation has ever thought of the convention industry as a career possibility. Sadly, not very many students know the profession is even an option, let alone the potential and benefits that it has to offer.

Q: What do you think industry leaders could do better to reach out to university students and increase awareness?

Rogerson: At Ferris, we ask industry professionals to come and speak to our students. The more professionals that we can have come into the classroom - or even better, let us come and visit them for a day - the more awareness there will be about the convention industry.

Davis: At BCIT, we are fortunate to be instructed by industry professionals who are leaders in various sectors of the tourism industry. They not only bring valuable first-hand knowledge, but also connections to other industry leaders.

Chochole: Get into high schools, because that is where it starts. You spend those years listening to guidance counselors, teachers and parents talking about the available career choices. So, naturally, when you're looking at colleges, you're going to pursue the areas that you've heard about from people you trust.

Q: What do you and your peers have to offer the industry that's fresh and different from what it has now?

Chochole: I think the major difference is the fact that we can start applying our acquired knowledge, from books and classrooms, as soon as we hit the industry, while most of today's leaders fell into the industry having little or no prior book-learned knowledge.

Rogerson: Students can no longer go through college attending classes and studying. ... A top student doesn't just have a high grade point average, but is president of an organization on campus and has multiple internship experiences relating the real world to the classroom. Before, it was lecture; now, it's interaction.

Davis: As students, we are not steeped in traditions as veterans of the industry may be. We bring a fresh outlook on how to create and achieve goals. It is easier to think outside the box if you are not accustomed to being within it.

Q: What issues and trends do you think the industry will encounter when your generation is in charge?

Rogerson: One of the biggest trends I see is the advancement of education in the meeting planning industry. It has only been quite recently that the student population of future meeting planners has boomed. In five to 10 years, these students will be the industry leaders. There is so much knowledge available to them, not only through the classroom, but through internships and extracurricular activities. ... When my generation is leading the industry, we will look for more innovation from the younger generations.

Davis: As cliche as it sounds, I think the future leaders of the industry have a heightened awareness of the planet's sensitivity. We have grown up with messages promoting environmental awareness. To my generation, the notion of sustainable practices is not a hope; it's an expected reality. Reducing the environmental impact, while maximizing the economic benefits of holding a convention, will most definitely have its challenges.

Inevitably, technology will change the face of conventions many times over. Reducing the need to travel by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of doing business electronically will have a momentous trickle-down effect on all elements of the convention industry.

Chochole: Besides the obvious environmental and technological changes, I think the biggest trend we will see is the increased demand throughout this industry. With the advancement of technology, ease of travel and global expansion, there are a lot of innovative opportunities yet to come, but the need for face-to-face meetings will continue to grow stronger.

I think we are going to have to work harder at proving a return on investment (ROI) to our clients. They are going to want to make sure the meeting is worth the time (and money) allocated for it. I'm not saying we don't need to prove this today, but with each generation, our society speeds up and people seem to have less time for human interaction. This is only going to continue to grow more prevalent as the years go by, which will lead to a need for stronger client-planner-supplier relationships.

Q: How are you preparing for those challenges?

Davis: Tourism programs now emphasize sustainable practices and have courses (such as Internet marketing) to make us technologically savvy.

Chochole: I am preparing for this by staying one step ahead of myself. I take every opportunity I have to talk to and learn from the seasoned professionals, read trade journals and browse posts on the MeCo and MiForum listservs. Most importantly, I've learned that I must remain flexible and maintain a willingness to try new things and take on new challenges.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about this year's PCMA meeting in Seattle?

Rogerson: Last year, I was still trying to figure out what career path I wanted to take. This year, I have a better understanding of the industry and what areas I am interested in. I would like to have a position as a meeting planner, perhaps in the not-for-profit sector.

I would like to network with more meeting planners and be able to ask them more direct questions about their profession. I am also interested in gaining more information about negotiation and contracts. I think that the career networking reception and the career fair for students was a great thing that PCMA did. This will give employers and prospective students a chance to interact and see what is available to them.

Davis: I am extremely excited for the programs and opportunities it will present. Student-focused programs have been specially designed to assist “the future of the industry,” with particular focus toward providing networking opportunities for students to not only meet other students, but also industry professionals.

Chochole: I am hoping to gain valuable insight into the industry through the educational and networking opportunities. I decided to attend PCMA's annual meeting because I know it will act as a backbone for everything I have yet to learn. It is time for me to take charge of my future, and there is no better way to do so than to put myself in the middle of the event in the industry where more than 3,000 professionals are at my fingertips.