New Zealand will continue its work in supporting the professional development of the business events industry by hosting an in-person ICCASkills Training Hub in 2024.
International business events professionals can now apply to take part in a three-day in-person ICCASkills training event, scheduled to be held in New Zealand in September 2024. Individuals can also complete the training certification online.
Tourism New Zealand will also continue its ICCASkills scholarship programme, offering New Zealand business events professionals the chance to undertake the certification, sharing costs with the scholarship recipient’s employer.
Tourism New Zealand’s general manager New Zealand & business events, Bjoern Spreitzer, said: “New Zealand’s Business Events industry is maturing. We want to support the sustainable growth of our industry and help educate and develop the best business events professionals in our region. Encouraging professional development ensures the expertise of our people is recognised at a global level and helps to elevate New Zealand’s event standards.”
The announcement follows Tourism New Zealand’s inaugural scholarship with ICCASkills, which saw seven New Zealand business events professionals undertaking ICCASkills certification online this year.
One successful graduate was Jessica Carlson, director of Meetings & events, Accor New Zealand, Fiji & French Polynesia. She said: “ICCASkills has been a highlight for me and my professional development in recent years. The opportunity to learn from the high calibre of Instructors along with the networking and insights shared between the other students was invaluable. It allowed me to gain understanding and knowledge from across the entire ecosystem of business events, outside of my day-to-day role and experience. It has opened my eyes to exactly the size, scale and value of the industry we work in.”
Established by ICCA (the International Congress & Convention Association), ICCASkills is the only globally recognised professional accreditation for every sector of the business events industry. The in-depth curriculum has been developed by industry experts, including business leaders, academics and ICCA members, and is delivered through on-site and online learning environments.
ICCA’s CEO, Senthil Gopinath, stated: “This is wonderful news. When we first announced the collaboration between ICCASkills and Tourism New Zealand last year, both parties shared every confidence that it would prove successful. Our renewal agreement confirms this and is evidence of how innovative and impactful ICCASkills has been in New Zealand.
“Through two courses – CICE for experienced professionals, and CICS for new colleagues starting out – ICCASkills champions real-world learning and growth irrespective of age or experience. Positive feedback about the know-how and effectiveness of our expert instructors again shows the tangible value of attending courses designed for our industry, by our industry.”
Tourism New Zealand launched the new education programme as part of New Zealand Business Events week, at the BEIA (Business Events Industry Aotearoa) Annual Conference in Marlborough.
