Everyone loves a party, from weddings to birthdays to corporate business events.  But parties and other special events don’t magically happen; they require lots of planning and preparation work ahead of time, as well as a lot of hard work immediately before the event starts and after it ends.

Special events coordinators are professionals who plan and organize any and all kinds of events, such as small events for meetings, lectures or seminars, and large events for conferences, conventions, festivals, or trade shows.  Since nearly any event needs a coordinator, there are opportunities in many different fields and topics, so no matter what you’re interested in you can pursue an event coordinator job in that area.  For example, if you enjoy music, you can become an expert in planning music festivals, and booking individual performers or a whole orchestra.  Or, if you are interested in technology, you can coordinate manufacturing trade shows, skill seminars, or technology showcase exhibitions.

Many special events coordinators will own and operate their own business, and most of their work will come from being hired by an event or company to plan and run an event.  This means you can choose to specialize in one type of event (like wedding planners) or a specific theme (like book fairs and literary talks).  Alternately, special events coordinators can be employed within a company or venue, and be responsible for planning and coordinating all different types of events — basically, whatever event books time at the venue.

Interpersonal skills and a strong attention to detail are the two most important skills a special events coordinator needs.  Much of the job involves communicating with and working directly with other people, such as venue or company owners, service and cleaning staff, caterers, marketing and promotion teams, and many others.  This means networking and building professional relationships with others people is essential, as you never know what you will need for an event so it’s useful to build a large address book of people you can hire or ask for advice.

Coordinators also need to keep track of many details simultaneously, including budgets, names of staff, timelines and schedules, and all the information about the event.  Depending on the type of events you coordinate, you can work mostly indoors, mostly outdoors, or have a mix of both.  While some types of events will require some physical work, such as lifting or lots of walking, others will mostly be working from your desk.

Salaries for special events coordinators just beginning their career will start around minimum wage, $11 to $14 depending on the province you work in.  As you build your reputation and gain experience, salaries can reach as high as $35 to $40 per hour, again depending in your province.  This is approximately $30,000 per year up to as much as $60,000 per year.

Most special events coordinators need a combination of education and apprenticeship hours.  Colleges and universities across Canada offer the necessary degrees in tourism, hospitality management, and business.  Other education or work experience in event planning, administration, or public relations may be required.    Depending on the province you live and work in, you may need to be certified by the provincial regulatory body, which can involve an apprenticeship program with requirements for a certain number of hours to be worked in order to become certified.

Sources:

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/requirements/12559/ca

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Special_Events_Coordinator/Salary

https://oyap.com/trades/?fuseaction=Profile&appnum=101