Events Industry Board asks industry to support SOC code development

The Event Industry Board’s (EIB) Talent Taskforce is calling for industry colleagues to take part in a new survey launched by the Office for National Statistics and Warwick University’s Institute for Employment Research (IER), which will look to develop the current framework for the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code.

The ONS and IER launched the survey after a number of SOC users expressed a need for a greater level of detail than is currently available. The SOC is a recognised framework that enables all UK occupations to be classified according to skill level and specialisation. This classification is then, in turn, essential in the creation of the occupational and social statistics that inform policy and the public.

Sarah Wright, Chair, Events Industry Board Talent Taskforce said: “I highly recommend that all of my industry colleagues take the time to fill out the survey. A colleague once said to me ‘if you’re not counted, you don’t count’ and this is a huge risk for the industry. It is hard to prove market failure, access support or measure trends without these codes. This is crucial as our recent study provided evidence that 61% of employers are facing a skills shortage.”

Germany and the US already have standardised codes, which recognise careers within the events sector as a viable profession. By having a standardised code for the UK, it will not only provide key market data but will also help to address the current skills shortage.

Michael Hirst OBE, Chair, Events Industry Board said: “This project is vital for the future of our industry. No-one knows your profession better than you and we need your expert knowledge about jobs in your sector to make this project a success and ensure the industry is recognised. We have an exciting opportunity to be able to create a standardised code for the industry but, we must strike while the iron is hot and we must have the support of the whole industry.”

The SOC user engagement survey can be accessed here. The survey will run until 30^th September 2019.