For years, many people assumed an events degree was the only route into the industry. The events sector has always placed huge value on hands-on experience, practical skills, and the ability to thrive in fast-paced environments. In 2026, that focus on real-world experience and transferable skills is becoming even more prominent as employers look beyond qualifications alone when hiring junior talent.

Across the sector, fewer graduates are entering traditional event-specific degree courses, while employers are placing increasing value on hands-on experience, transferable skills and real-world exposure over academic qualifications alone. Organisations such as The Power of Events are also helping raise awareness of careers in events among younger generations, showcasing the huge variety of roles available across the industry and encouraging more accessible entry routes into the sector.

At the same time, the industry is facing a growing challenge: businesses want experienced junior talent, but fewer people are being given the opportunity to gain that experience in the first place.

As Laura Sidhu, Senior Account Manager at Live Recruitment explains, “A lot of businesses still want junior candidates to already have experience, but if fewer people are taking traditional event routes and companies aren’t opening entry-level opportunities, that gap is only going to grow.”

Experience is becoming as important as qualifications in different ways

While degrees and formal education still play an important role in developing knowledge and providing a strong foundation, many employers in the events industry are increasingly focused on what candidates can apply in real-world environments, alongside their academic background.

Laura Kelly, Managing Director at Live Recruitment says, “We’ve honestly never had clients insisting candidates must have an events degree specifically. Sometimes they will have a preference for a  degree but it’s never a deal breaker, but what really stands out is practical experience,  transferable skills and the attitude and aptitude of candidates – the passion for the industry and the desire to succeed.”

This reflects the reality of the industry itself. Events is a fast-paced, operational environment where communication, adaptability, resilience and problem-solving are often strengthened through hands-on experience, whether that comes alongside study, through early work experience, or via vocational and industry-based learning routes.

Importantly, this isn’t about one route replacing another. Instead, it highlights that the industry now recognises multiple entry points into events careers – including university education, vocational training, and practical experience – all of which can play a valuable role in building strong future talent.

This growing focus on practical learning is also reflected in the rise of vocational and experience-led training opportunities. Organisations such as The Training Department and Event Academy are helping individuals build industry-ready skills through hands-on learning, technical training and courses designed around real event environments.

Increasingly, employers are recognising skills gained from other industries when junior talent is coming through such as:

For many junior candidates, working festivals, sporting events or hospitality roles alongside education is becoming one of the strongest ways to enter the industry.

The challenge facing junior talent

Despite growing demand for event professionals, entry-level opportunities can still be difficult to access. Many businesses remain stretched for time and resource, making graduate schemes, internships and structured training programmes difficult to manage internally.

As Laura Sidhu explains, “Event companies are already busy running events and managing clients. Recruitment takes time and so does mentoring junior talent.”

This creates a frustrating cycle:

Without greater investment into entry-level development, the industry risks widening the junior talent gap even further.

The organisations helping open doors into events

While access to entry-level opportunities remains a challenge in some areas of the industry, several organisations are actively working to make event careers more visible, accessible and skills-focused for the next generation.

The Power of Events has been leading major awareness initiatives across the UK, particularly through its Schools Engagement Programme, which connects industry ambassadors with schools to showcase the huge variety of careers available within events. The programme has already engaged more than 130,000 young people across hundreds of school visits, helping students understand that the industry offers far more than just event management roles.

Alongside this, The Training Department is helping bridge the gap between education and employment through hands-on production and event delivery training. Their courses focus on practical, real-world learning designed to help people gain confidence, industry exposure and technical understanding in live environments.

Training and upskilling opportunities are also expanding through organisations such as Muti Live, which provides funded training and development opportunities for both individuals and businesses across the live events sector, helping professionals build practical skills and long-term career pathways.

Meanwhile, Event Academy continues to offer vocational event training routes that combine learning with practical industry exposure, reflecting the growing shift towards experience-led development rather than purely academic pathways.

Collectively, these initiatives are helping reshape how people enter the industry – widening access, improving awareness and creating more practical routes into long-term careers in events.

The sectors leading the way

Some areas of the industry are making stronger progress than others particularly within technical and production-focused roles.

The production and technical sectors are increasingly investing in pathways that allow people to gain hands-on experience while learning on the job. There is also growing investment into industry upskilling and accessibility initiatives. Muti Live, for example, offers funded training and development opportunities for both individuals and businesses, helping event professionals build practical skills and long-term career pathways across the live events sector.

Laura Sidhu highlights one example: “In areas like rigging for example, people need experience before they can gain qualifications, but historically they couldn’t get experience without already having qualifications. I recently spoke with UK Rigging at Production Futures and they are creating proper pathways to solve that issue – this is the kind of productive change that will help grow the entry routes within the events industry.”

There are some great businesses that offer strong graduate and development programmes and internships including independent agencies and newer businesses that are modernising how they attract and retain junior talent, we just need more of these opportunities to grow the junior talent.

Why the industry needs to invest now

The events industry depends on a continuous pipeline of new talent. Without stronger investment into junior pathways, long-term workforce sustainability becomes a real concern. The industry needs:

Because while experience may now have a heavier requirement than before, someone still needs to provide the opportunity to gain that experience in the first place.

Final thoughts

There is no single route into the events industry anymore and that’s not necessarily a bad thing; the ability to give everyone joining the events industry access to learning as well as experience opportunities that fit with their lifestyle and learning process is the priority.

Everyone develops through different environments – some need hands-on experience, with operational roles and live event environments, some succeed in traditional academic pathways such as a 4-year degree with a year in industry. All that matters is that the event industry is open to growing its talent pool.

But if the industry wants to continue attracting ambitious junior talent, businesses must create more opportunities for people to learn, contribute and grow.

Because the future of events won’t just depend on attracting talent – it will depend on developing it.