Young professionals getting a head start in meetings can join any one of the associations that serve the various factions of the industry. And these associations know that the way to stay vital and current is to court the incoming generations, offering targeted networking opportunities to bridge generation gaps and allow new and seasoned professionals to learn from each other. To encourage young meeting professionals to sign up, many of the groups offer discounted student memberships, special awards programs for people under 30 and more. The following is a rundown of the associations' offerings.
ACTE (acte.org)
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives honors its young members with the "3 Under 33" awards. These awards recognize outstanding achievements in business travel, while celebrating new ways of thinking and doing business. The age cutoff isn't strict: Nominees need only be "around or under the age of 33," according to the official rules.
Nine winners were chosen in 2011 -- three each from North America; Asia; and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Of these, ACTE recognized three global winners, each of whom was invited to join the organization's board for a one-year term, to offer their perspectives and ideas to the association and business travel community.
ASAE (asaecenter.org)
The American Society of Association Executives offers several membership options for young professionals at a reduced price to make registration more enticing and affordable. Those age 30 or younger can join for $100 a year, compared with the full price of $265. Those who go to college full time can register as student members for $30 a year.
"These individuals are just starting their careers, so we try to make it affordable for them and for organizations who might be willing to cover membership costs," says Melody Jordan-Carr, senior director of member relations at ASAE.
In addition to reduced membership rates, one of ASAE's 14 volunteer committees is dedicated to the promotion and creation of programming and resources targeting those newer to the business. "The Young Association Executive Committee focuses on ways to create networking opportunities, resources and education that relates to members beginning their careers," says Jordan-Carr. "We want to make sure we are catering to young professional members by addressing issues from their perspectives."
Initiatives include integrating young professional networking events into ASAE's major events; a mentoring program that pairs newcomers with industry veterans; and a career headquarters where they can read about career development, graze a job board and have their résumés critiqued. Though these programs are available to all ASAE members, says Jordan-Carr, these resources particularly speak to young professionals looking to grow and develop.
DMAI (destinationmarketing.org)
At Destination Marketing Association International, the next generation of professionals in destination marketing organizations and convention and visitor bureaus are being addressed through the "30 Under 30" program, which debuted in July 2011.
According to Karen M. Gonzales, CMP, DMAI's senior vice president of membership and operations, the initiative was launched to identify and engage industry up-and-comers who, due to tighter budgets and smaller staffs, typically do not attend DMAI's annual conference.
To be considered for the program, which covers travel costs and registration to the annual meeting, young professionals must apply to DMAI. Additionally, they must submit a YouTube video of themselves answering three questions from a list provided by the organization (e.g., what influenced them to join their DMO, what their proudest accomplishments are, etc).
Last year, 53 DMO professionals applied; the organization expects that number to grow in 2012. Each year, a different group of 30 will be selected to attend, though Gonzales says they might include alumni.
Going forward, DMAI hopes the program will be more sustainable. "We will be in touch with the group throughout the year, ask them to participate in research projects, blogs and Twitter feeds, and run marketing ideas by them," says Gonzales.
IACC (iacconline.com)
The
International Association of Conference Centers has taken a bold step
concerning the young people who work at its member properties: In 2007,
IACC created a nonvoting position on its board of directors for people
who are under 30 years old and interested in becoming involved in IACC.
The
position lasts for two years, and there is an overlap of two meetings
(the January board meeting and the annual conference) between the
service of one board associate and the next; IACC pays travel costs for
the associates.
The organization also awards two scholarships.
The IACC Conference Center Industry Award presents $5,000 to a student
each year, and each year the $4,000 Doris Sklar Award is given to a
hospitality student at New York University.
IAEE (iaee.com)
The
majority of the International Association of Exhibitors and Events'
young professional initiatives take place during its annual convention,
Expo! Expo!. Every year, the show's First Timer's Experience caters to
young professionals and industry newcomers with a luncheon and a speaker
who addresses some of the basic questions newbies might feel
intimidated to ask in a general session among industry veterans. "The
idea is to get young people feeling comfortable and included," says
Julie Pazina, national sales manager with Edlen Electrical Exhibition
Services and the 2011 chair of IAEE's young professional committee.
Extending
that sentiment further, the committee puts on a young professional's
party during Expo! Expo!, where newbies can network and hang out among
their peers. At 2011, IAEE tested a roundtable education session pairing
young professionals with industry suppliers who could address the
basics.
In an effort to encourage more involvement from the
younger set, IAEE introduced a new award last March. "Young
professionals contribute so much to the industry, especially those who
go above and beyond the call of duty," said 2011 IAEE awards committee
chairman Brian Monroe. "It's important to reward that enthusiasm."
To
engage students, IAEE offers special deals and programs to those
interested in the hospitality, exhibition or meetings industries, such
as a $35 yearly membership that includes full membership benefits,
except the right to vote. A young professional rate does not exist,
because IAEE's members are organizations, not individuals. Students also
can apply for complimentary registration to Expo! Expo! or sign up for a
tour of the trade show floor to get a taste of what the annual
convention is about.
Moving forward, Pazina wants to focus on
encouraging regional networking opportunities for young professionals.
"Our goal for 2012 is to get a lot of events happening in different
places throughout the year," she says. "Whether it's a happy hour in
D.C. or a bowling event in New Jersey, we want to see more young
professionals getting together more often."
MPI (mpiweb.org)
At
Meeting Professionals International, efforts to bring younger people
into the industry focus on students and, eventually, turning those
students into full-fledged members of the organization.
On the
membership front, students can join MPI for $40 a year. For recent
graduates whose student membership is about to expire, the association
offers a transition program featuring dues of $75 the first year, $150
the second year, $250 the third year and the full membership fee the
fourth year of $325 for planners and $500 for suppliers. Student
chapters currently are available at Arizona State University, the
British Columbia Institute of Technology, Central Michigan University,
Dakota County Technical College, Florida International University,
Kendall College, Oklahoma State University, Michigan State University,
Temple University and the University of Central Florida.
"I've
noticed that a number of people in the under-30 category are asking
about opportunities to become involved on the chapter level," says
Amanda Miller, MPI's director of member services. "Our community is as
large or as small as you want it to be."
Students are offered
reduced rates to attend MPI's World Education Congress; in 2012, early
birds pay $145 and the regular student registration is $245. MPI also
partners with IMEX to bring students to the various industry events
throughout the year, including MPI's WEC and its European Meetings and
Events Conference, through the MPI Foundation's International University
Challenge.
MPI also awards leadership efforts by those under
age 30. Among the organization's RISE awards, given in seven categories,
is one for Young Professional Achievement. Each year, it is given to a
meeting professional 30 or younger with five or fewer years in the
industry who has made an outstanding contribution to the meetings
industry. The award is not limited to MPI members. In fact, anyone
currently holding one of the association's leadership positions, or who
has held one in the past three years, is not eligible.
A related
grass-roots faction of MPI, called the Global Emerging Leaders Group,
has sprung up in the past year, partnering with MPI's Future Leaders
Forum and creating ways to mentor young industry professionals and make
sure they have the resources they need to be successful. "A group of
members had a driving passion for this effort," says Miller.
PCMA (pcma.org)
Professional
Convention Management Association chairperson Susan Katz spoke
enthusiastically about the organization's young members last year at
Convening Leaders, PCMA's annual meeting. She assured attendees that the
organization's senior members has just as much to learn from the
younger generation as vice versa. In fact, launching the New
Professionals Task Force was one of Katz's primary initiatives in her
new role.
One year in, the 16-member task force has become an
integral part of the organization, and has even formed subcommittees to
address content development for the PCMA365 online environment and for
Convene, the association's magazine. As board liaison to the task force,
Katz has continued her support for PCMA's young professionals. The task
force also gets monthly opportunities to share concerns with the
executive committee, adds leadership relations director Stacey Shafer.
And, courtesy of a grant from PCMA's Education Foundation, task force
members can take advantage of scholarships to attend this month's
Convening Leaders meeting in San Diego.
Quite a few participants
on the New Professionals task force were formerly student members of
PCMA, notes Erin Shamus, who specializes in student member concerns for
the organization. "In any given year we have about 700 student members,"
she says. For $40 per year, student members receive all the same
benefits as professional members, with the exception that they cannot
serve on the board or vote. They do have a say in how PCMA is run,
however, particularly through the Student Advisory Group, which provides
feedback and suggestions for how best to serve student members
throughout the year.
The Student Union, a gathering of student
members held before each Convening Leaders event, helps to orient
participants and prepare them for the ensuing meeting. This year, for
example, they'll be treated to a workshop about professional networking
and contact building. What's more, students can apply for one of 17
scholarships offered by the Education Foundation each year to fund their
way there.
SITE (siteglobal.com)
Site,
the international association for incentive professionals, launched its
Young Leaders program for motivation pros under age 35, or industry
newcomers with less than five years' experience, in 2005.
According
to its mission statement, the program "is designed to build the next
generation of motivational experiences leaders by providing education
and networking opportunities on a level and in a manner appealing
directly to younger generations. The mission of the program is to focus
on bridging the gap between the generations and creating a strong group
of individuals who will become Site leaders."
Offerings for the
400-strong group include an annual educational meeting, called the Young
Leaders Academy, communities on LinkedIn and Facebook, plus networking
receptions held during Site's annual meeting and major industry trade
shows including EIBTM and IMEX. Additionally, some local Site chapters,
including Site Southern California, have their own educational and
networking summits.
Future plans, according to Allison Summers,
Site's managing director, call for Young Leaders to meet with government
officials in Washington, D.C., and Barcelona, Spain, in 2012, in
conjunction with AIBTM (taking place in Baltimore, June 19 to 21) and
EIBTM (in Barcelona, Nov. 27-29), respectively. The purpose, says
Summers, is to equip the next generation not only for their day-to-day
jobs, but "to understand larger government and global issues, and become
a voice for the industry."