Who'd have thought that all it takes to topple the world is an invisible, minuscule virus? While frontline workers are doing their best to fight it, industries are collapsing and many have lost their jobs. As expected, the event industry was hit too. A recent study by the Events and Entertainment Management Association tells us that 10 million people in the industry are at risk of losing their jobs.
However, Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft MIME, one of the major players in the event space in India, calls this a 'major, but a temporary blip.' In fact, he tells us that the event industry has a lot to look forward to in an emerging Post-COVID world. The event pioneer recently joined hands with Jain (Deemed-to-be) University to create industry-oriented courses in event management. This programme is said to follow an international-standard curriculum with a blended model of learning and masterclasses hosted by industry leaders.
But is a career in the industry viable in the near future? We asked Joseph. He says, "We think that the world has come to a standstill. But in reality, we have created a new world where we can work together. Events will exist, but not in a format that we're used to. Our programme is designed for this new emerging world."
Joseph does not call COVID a bane. Neither does he think that there is a dearth of jobs in the industry. In fact, he tells us that there is a massive staff shortage in the field. "The opportunity for educated, talented people in the industry is still very high. That's where this programme makes sense. We are not focussed on mediocre performers, but on skilled leaders," he says, adding that the world will belong to entrepreneurs and leaders.
However, with strict social distancing norms in place, what sort of events will happen in the future? Joseph says that the nature of the events will not any different. "But all of a sudden, events will go global," he says. "You won't be restricted to a particular space. You'll be dealing with unlimited space and people. For example, remember Travis Scott's recent virtual performance? The transformation of events is astonishing," he adds.
He also talks about its opportunities. "Virtual events give you access to more people, sponsorship across dimensions and allows them to reach communities and customers. The possibility of things gets magnified. Rather than restrictions, you're opening opportunities if you're focussing correctly," he says.
Joseph wraps up the conversation on a hopeful note. He believes that people who lost their jobs will soon be re-employed. "The number of events has only increased. The blip is just temporary. We will definitely need more people," he concludes.
