Factory International launches event management course with brand placements

Factory International has launched an event management and operations course at Aviva Studios, aimed at easing skills shortages in the industry and helping Greater Manchester residents who lack the experience, contacts and opportunities to begin a career.

The organisation will work with companies staging major events and brand experiences at the venue to create event management placements for local people. Partners will also be able to teach and mentor.

The 12-week course links emerging talent with placements on large commercial events and is the first strand of a new event talent legacy programme at Factory International.

Factory Academy, the organisation’s free training scheme, is behind the course. Since 2018 it has supported more than 2,000 people, 56% of whom have gone on to paid work, and it aims to widen access to creative careers, improve diversity and inclusion and build creative skills across the region.

Each intake will support 15 Greater Manchester residents, with two to three courses planned a year. The course is open to people who are unemployed or earn less than the Real Living Wage, and mixes practical projects, mentoring and networking with training led by industry professionals.

Each participant will be matched to a placement on a high-profile event, ranging from international sporting events to award ceremonies and big brand activations.

Organisations can also offer guest teaching, mentoring, real-world project briefs or industry panels, according to their resources and expertise, with Factory Academy helping each one shape an opportunity that benefits participants and leaves a local legacy beyond the event.

“Manchester has an incredible pool of creative talent, and we’re seeing more agencies open offices here or relocate to the city. As the sector grows, so will the demand for skilled people,” said Stephanie Williams, Aviva Studios’ head of events.

“We want Aviva Studios to help nurture that talent and create a pipeline of people with the skills and experience to build successful careers here.”

Participants will be taught to work with international brands, answer creative briefs and plan and deliver large-scale events and productions.

Gary Briggs, Factory International’s director of training and skills, said: “Our industry needs new talent, but securing that first meaningful opportunity can be incredibly difficult without experience or established networks.”

He added: “Partners benefit too. Bringing different experiences and perspectives into the room can challenge assumptions and help organisations understand how the communities around them view their brands and events.”

Factory Academy is now recruiting organisations and industry professionals to provide mentoring, careers sessions, project briefs, teaching and placements.