The International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE) has announced the creation of the Exhibitions Industry Collective to drive awareness on key issues within the exhibitions ecosystem.
The Exhibitions Industry Collective is comprised of six key industry organizations including Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA), Experiential Designers & Producers Association (EDPA), International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO).
Each organization has previously worked together on industry advocacy with ECA and are now expanding this effort to address workforce development, sustainability, and health and safety as a unified effort. By leveraging the strengths in their respective fields, the Collective will better serve the larger exhibitions and events community by bringing more awareness to key stakeholders and a defined path of success for each member base.
“In 2014 IAEE worked with the U.S. Department of Labor and established a competency model for exhibitions as a standalone industry sector. This paved the way for us to create a more defined path in exhibitions management with our expanded certification journey and work with the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics” said IAEE president and CEO, Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM. “Momentum has built since the pandemic to bring our shared knowledge together to create a visible, meaningful and lasting foothold on careers in the exhibitions ecosystem,” noted Flanagan.
To kick off 2024, IAEE will host a virtual Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week from 20-23 February and will feature each of the six organizations in the Collective.
The purpose of Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week is to promote the exhibitions industry as a career path opportunity to students, faculty, those looking for a career change and all members in each industry sector. Attendees will learn about sector specific information including jobs available to those considering a career along with salary information, skill requirements and training needed. Registration for Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week will open at the end of January.
“Coming together and recognizing the individual strengths of each organization will allow us to be faster, stronger and better at tackling issues affecting the exhibitions ecosystem,” noted Flanagan.
