Education Feature: William Angliss Institute

If you enjoy music festivals, have you ever thought about organising one as an events professional? With event diplomas and degrees at William Angliss Institute you can learn how to plan, fund, market and manage successful events.

The award-winning programs will equip you with skills and knowledge in a range of subjects, from on-site event management to project scheduling and supplier management. Throughout the courses there are opportunities to work across a variety of specialties and events - everything from international sporting events to festivals and conferences.

Events programs at William Angliss Institute are strengthened by affiliations with industry and a curriculum that includes involvement at a number of international events. Alex Rixon-Booth graduated with an Advanced Diploma of Event Management in 2013 at the Institute and now runs his own business, I Need Helpers. I Need Helpers has established a strong reputation in volunteer management with service aimed at providing impeccable assistance to events throughout Australia, while ensuring best practices for the growth of the industry.

"We provide staff and volunteer management consulting, on-site management and coordination and a custom built rostering platform to ensure an event runs smoothly. We contribute to students' education and smooth event planning for our clients," Rixon-Booth says.

When asked what aspect of his course he has found to be most valuable, Rixon-Booth says the industry opportunities helped him the most. "The teachers' networks and experience were a real eye-opener to the industry and sparked the idea of my current business, which now sees me managing a full-time team. The idea was to create a centralised platform for students wanting to gain additional experience and to solidify course content outside the classroom environment. We have also implemented a number of volunteer management practices which are now utilised by the industry including St Kilda Festival and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

"It was also the support and encouragement provided by the teachers at the Institute that had me actively involved with the industry early on. Without their flexibility and industry contacts, I wouldn't have built my networks as early as I have," Rixon-Booth says.

For more information visit angliss.edu.au