mia launches student membership to inspire the next generation of event professionals

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has today officially announced the launch of its student membership.

Designed to inspire the sector’s next generation of talent, the membership will present aspiring event professionals with exclusive educational and career opportunities and provide a platform for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

As part of the dedicated new membership, which costs £45+VAT per year, students will gain access to a wide range of exclusive benefits including monthly meetings with expert mentors, referrals to mia members for work experience and placement opportunities as well as listings on the mia’s all-new student job board that will launch later this year. Members will also be invited to special recruitment days and receive discounts on industry events.

The new initiative was revealed to students enjoying a dedicated ‘Next Generation’ tour and educational programme at The Meetings Show.

Kerrin MacPhie, chief executive of the mia said: “A student membership is something that has been a key focus since my appointment at the end of 2021 and following extensive discussions with universities and academic institutions we’re excited to help inspire future business meetings and events professionals.

“This is the latest milestone in the mia’s rich 33-year history and one of great significance for the sector. We’re proud to be able to offer a platform that will provide clear direction and guidance to students looking to start a career in our sector, and we look forward to facilitating this with our member venues and suppliers over the coming months.”

She added: “Next week we will be unveiling our latest research that, in part, looks at the sector’s ongoing staffing and recruitment challenges. It will reveal that 73% of the sector would hire an apprentice if relevant positions were available, and we hope that our student membership will help to bridge the gap and present a portfolio of potential candidates.”

To find out more about student membership, which is open to students in full or part-time education, apprentices and those studying at a college or university, visit: https://www.mia-uk.org/Student-Membership