New programme for Convention and Incentive professionals

ATTTO NEWS RELEASE//

New programme for Convention and Incentive experienced professionals

The Aviation Tourism and Travel Training Organisation has launched a new programme to formally recognise and build on the skills and experience in the Conventions and Incentives sector.

The new C&I Professionals Award will enable convention and incentive practitioners with more than 10 years’ experience to gain a National Diploma in Tourism Conventions and Incentives (Level 5) with a specialist strand in Conference Organisation, Convention Bureaux, Incentives Planning or Venue Sales and Operations. Graduates will also be granted permission to use a newly designed ‘industry qualified’ logo on their business cards and marketing materials.

The qualification covers the wide range of skills required to run successful conventions, from sales and marketing to logistics, event management and budgeting. Gaining the qualification is designed to fit in with candidates’ busy workload.

Kathy Wolfe, Chief Executive of ATTTO, said: “Conventions and Incentive events are high-value and high-quality and require well trained staff and management to match customer expectations.

“On top of ensuring a high level of training for new entrants, we also need to acknowledge that the sector has a great number of talented, committed and experienced staff who also need recognition through the achievement of qualifications.

“The new Professionals award will enable long serving staff within the sector to gain a national qualification. It underlines our aim to see standards set across the industry and recognised through industry qualifications at all levels, not just for entry level.

“The Government launched their major events strategy in 2011 with the objective of increasing the number of international conventions coming to New Zealand. The sector is worth more than $1bn and is set to increase in the coming years.”

The first person to gain a qualification under the pilot programme we have been running is Gillian Officer, Director Conventions and Outcatering at Sky City, Auckland.

She said: “The qualification covers the length and breadth of your experience with C&I and includes referee and evidence based assessment. Once I had worked out the scope of evidence required there was really no problem in doing what was required to achieve the award and qualification.

“Conventions and Incentives are really a right place, right time career for a lot of people and many have been working in it for some time without gaining any national recognition.

“These are busy people, so this is one way to enable them to gain professional recognition and qualifications in a straightforward manner.”

For more information about the programme and to register your interest, visit www.attto.org.nz

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