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After a COVID induced cancellation in 2020, dates for the 27th edition of the Venue Management School and VMA Leadership Institute have been announced for the 7th to 12th November 2021.

As one of the core educational programs of the Venue Management Association (Asia Pacific), the Venue Management School, which encompasses the VMA Leadership Institute, is the only industry run school of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.

The immersive program has been designed by ‘today’s leaders for tomorrow’s leaders’, and combines the ultimate venue industry networking experience with a two-year program featuring workshops, discussions and presentations to explore 35 topics essential to the venue industry.

The internationally recognised school has been a turning point in the careers of close to 1000 industry professionals over the last 26 years.

As the brainchild of a group of passionate venue industry professionals associated with the VMA, the VMS was originally conceived to ensure those already with industry experience and knowledge were imparting that to the next generation of venue management professionals.

Gareth James, the inaugural Chair of the VMS, past VMA President and VMA Honorary Life Member, reflects on “the comradery that existed within the profession from those early days and the very strong desire to pass along that knowledge” as a key motivation behind introducing the School.

Many of the early students have gone on to be long term Instructors at the School. This in most part is the belief in the significant and career changing experience that comes with attending VMS as a student.

One of the core strengths of the School, and what makes the VMS the ultimate industry educational experience, is the amazing team of Instructors who give their time voluntarily each year to return to School and give back to the next generation.

In launching the 2021 School, VMA President, Leighton Wood noted “as a residential program, the School offers students the opportunity to learn from the best and develop and connect with other venue professionals from across the region.

“Imagine sitting down with a Senior Executive of a major venue at breakfast and engage with them as they freely share their knowledge and experience. There is no other educational experience in our industry that allows the opportunity for such intimate career defining networks to be developed”.

Acknowledged as the only venue industry run school of its kind in the Australia and Asia-Pacific region, the School has gained the reputation as a world-class educational facility in the venue management space.

The unique program is designed ‘by the industry, for the industry’, and delivered by executive level experts passionate about the venue management industry and developing its leaders of the future.

In acknowledging the challenges the venue management industry continues to face, VMS Chair, Wayne Middleton CVE added “it is important we look to the future with confidence and optimism for our industry and continue to deliver a great learning experience for the students.

“The delivery of this year’s School will of course face its challenges but as venue professionals we know how to be responsible and responsive in delivering a fantastic experience”.

Middleton reassured students and their employers that “all foreseeable scenarios are being prepared for and with our 100% COVID cancellation policy in place, the VMA is here in support all of our members and industry and we want to give them the confidence to enrol in School now, knowing if circumstances change their investment is protected.”

Enrolments for the 2021 Venue Management School are open.

Contact the VMA HQ on 1300 001 VMA or go to vma.org.au/enrol-now

Image: A group of students at the VMS in 2016.

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