Ensuring your have sufficient event staff for your next conference doesn’t need to be a problem if you are prepared to work closely with universities and develop a volunteer programme

Staffing an exhibition or conference can be costly for an event planner, however it is vital that you have sufficient people on hand to help delegates, manage registration, assist exhibitors etc.  

Rather than hire an agency to provide the event staff for you, why not work closely with your local university, particularly if they have students studying for an Event Management Degree. 

Hiring students can be troublesome.  Will they turn up?  Will they be motivated?  Will they be any good?  These are all valid questions; however I believe that working with students can be both cost effective and rewarding.  The problems arise when organisers simply invite students to ‘help out’ by putting a notice up at the University.  There is a much more effective way of working with students.  Here is my five step plan staffing an event and getting the most out students, whilst making it worthwhile for them:

1)      Contact the University that you would like to work with and meet with the Head of their Event Management courses (or similar).  Tell them that you would like to work closely with the University to give their students valuable experience in the events industry by allowing them to volunteer as a member of your event staff.  Universities tend to be crying out for an invitation such as this.  We give our arrangement a name: The Student Volunteer Programme.

2)     Via the University, invite all of their students to apply for your programme.  Make this an application process.  Ideally an online form they can complete, with a few interview style questions, such as why are they applying, what do they believe they can bring to your event, what areas do they feel they would benefit from gaining experience in?  This may sound a little long winded – but it really does work.  It means that you only get volunteers applying who would take the programme seriously.  Plus, the application process gives them a sense of pride if they are selected.  (If you only need a few students and you have time, interview them in person).

3)     Shortlist the applications and invite them to a briefing session held at the University. Invite more than you need as some will drop out at this stage.

4)     Work with the University to hold your briefing session.  They will probably give you a free class room to use and encourage the students to turn up.  At the briefing session, you can tell them about your organisation, your event and what would be expected of them if they were part of the event staff.  Use this time to get them on board, and excited about volunteering for you.  I would encourage you to let them see all aspects of event management so that it truly is valuable to them.  From setting up and registration, through to working in the seminar hall and working with exhibitors.

5)     Finally, after the event issue all of the volunteers a certificate for their portfolio.  That means that they’ve had lots of valuable experience working with you, but they’ve also got something to show potential employers when they graduate.  What’s more, if they’ve had a positive experience with you, they’ll report back to their lecturers at University, which means that they’ll be more inclined to help you again in the future.