NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB), together with the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), provider of senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry, will embark on a two-year strategic partnership in Singapore commencing June 2023. The announcement was made today at the “The Future of Work: Impact of AI on the Workforce” event organised by PCMA.
Under the partnership, events professionals in Singapore can look forward to a range of internationally recognised PCMA training programmes specifically contextualised for business events held in Singapore. These include courses focusing on technological enablers for events and on the future of work in the MICE sector. The collaboration combines NTUC LHUB’s expertise in delivering contextualised training in Singapore with PCMA’s strong portfolio of education and training courses for global business events professionals.
Two New Courses to Help MICE Professionals Upskill
Two new courses will be introduced to kickstart the partnership – (1) Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification course and (2) Technical Meeting & Event Production (TMEP) certificate course. The two internationally recognised professional courses are designed to support event professionals in their upskilling journey and help them acquire the latest innovative practices adopted in the business events industry globally, following the resumption and recovery of events post-pandemic.
The DES certification course is developed from the insights and professional experience of international MICE industry experts and is aimed at helping event professionals move away from outdated digital event delivery models. Conducted over three days, the DES certification course will provide learners with the know-how in designing, delivering, and measuring effective and highly interactive online gatherings and applying these approaches by harnessing innovative hybrid experiences such as the metaverse in digital event production.
We are also pleased to extend the TMEP certificate course, a new programme offered by PCMA as a result of the acquisition of the Event Leadership Institute in early 2023. To enhance this already robust and long-running certificate course, elements of the Hybrid Event Production course previously offered by PCMA will be incorporated. Conducted over two days, the TMEP certificate course enables learners to acquire the necessary knowledge to successfully produce an event in a cost-effective manner by understanding audio-visual and lighting elements, effective management of both in-person and remote speakers, identifying the right venue and vendors from a technical production point-of-view, and incorporating technical hybrid requirements.
Learners who have successfully completed the DES certification course will be certified by PCMA as a Digital Event Strategist for two years. Recertification requires ten hours of continuing education to maintain their certification. Learners can choose to complete the TMEP certificate course to meet the DES recertification requirements.
Internationally Recognised Courses Contextualised for Singapore’s Market
To suit the needs of the MICE industry in Singapore, the curriculums of the two courses are contextualised, thereby allowing learners to readily apply key learnings directly to their work. To encourage effective training facilitation and to promote networking among event professionals, both courses will be delivered physically and will be conducted by a diverse panel of overseas and local professionals with extensive experience in cross-region business events.
Local experts will be involved in the course customisation to ensure delivery of the curriculum is supported with relevant case studies and examples. The pilot run for both courses will take place in August 2023, starting with an intake of 20 learners for each course. NTUC LHUB will be the programme manager for the courses in Singapore, while the internationally recognised certifications will be issued by PCMA.
Ms Florence Chua, PCMA Asia Pacific Managing Director, said, “Digital and hybrid event formats are now widely accepted as mainstay of business events. The event industry landscape is seeing a greater shift towards the use of technology, which presents challenges for event professionals to keep pace with technological changes, as well as opportunities for the MICE industry to enhance the event experience and outcomes. To meet this demand, we are pleased to partner with NTUC LearningHub to bring the Digital Event Strategist certification and the Technical Meeting & Event Production certificate courses to Singapore. Through the two internationally recognised courses that are contextualised for the local market, we aim to empower event professionals to acquire the best industry practices and contribute to the transformation of the events experience.”
Mr Jeremy Ong, CEO of NTUC LearningHub, said, “The partnership with PCMA signifies our commitment to collaborate with world-class partners to offer high-quality skills training for workers in Singapore. The program will help event professionals build upon their experience through acquiring best practices adopted by other professionals around the world, and most importantly, all learnings can effectively stack up to attain industry-recognised and job-ready qualifications. Not only will the partnership benefit Singapore as a global destination for MICE events, the collaboration with a globally recognised partner can also enhance the career prospects and employability of workers.”
