the eastside rooms Agrees Partnership with the Events Management Apprenticeship Programme

The Events Management Apprenticeship Programme (EMAP) Board and the eastside rooms have agreed a partnership that will see the venue become the first official partner of the event industry’s foremost apprenticeship and talent initiative.

The new conference venue, which launches in spring 2020, will help fund the creation of a new portal for the initiative, which will provide access to all the necessary information for employers, apprentices and parents. The ambition is that the portal will become the “go to” place for information on all relevant apprenticeship programmes for the industry, not just those that the EMAP Board develop.

EMAP, formerly recognised under the Trailblazers brand, launched in 2017 with the objective of creating apprenticeship opportunities throughout the events industry. It has developed a government approved Level 3 Event Assistant apprenticeship, with and for employers, to allow industry specific training for those wishing to get into the events industry.

“There is a huge opportunity for apprenticeships in this industry, we have had success with the Level 3 programme and now want to expand the programme for more senior event management and other relevant roles across the breadth of the industry,” comments Sarah Wright, Chair of the EMAP Board. “Its credit to the eastside rooms for becoming the first partner to sponsor the scheme, allowing us to accelerate our plans to make this happen for the industry.”

the eastside rooms is keen to integrate with the events community as much as possible ahead of its launch, to ensure the right avenues are in place for its people to be found, nurtured and developed. The venue will also be accredited to the living wage foundation and has been working alongside the national Trailblazers apprenticeship scheme to target local talent across Birmingham and the West Midlands, from its inception. By working with the EMAP Board, the business will now also be working collaboratively with the industry to target apprentices specifically looking for a career in events.

“From the outset, the values of the business have been to both find and nurture great talent, regardless of who they are or where they come from, but also to give people that want a career in events a perfect springboard for their careers, supporting the Events Management Apprenticeship Programme allows both us and others to do this,” comments Matt Huddart, Regional General Manager, the eastside rooms. “We’re a business that will be a firm fixture of the events industry, so it’s important we work with the many outstanding people-led initiatives that are out there from the outset.”