New Initiative Tackles Event Industry’s Talent ShortageNew Initiative Tackles Event Industry’s Talent Shortage
The Exhibitions Industry Collective, representing six major industry organizations, has launched a nationwide initiative that could help solve one of the biggest pain points facing event professionals today: finding and developing qualified talent.
May 27, 2025
Trade show organizers and suppliers struggling with staffing challenges now have a powerful new resource to help build their future workforce. The Exhibitions Industry Collective, representing six major industry organizations, has launched a nationwide initiative that could help solve one of the biggest pain points facing event professionals today: finding and developing qualified talent.
The program addresses the critical workforce gap that's impacting show operations, technical roles, and event services – areas where many organizers and suppliers are experiencing significant staffing shortages. By connecting directly with students and young professionals through educational institutions, the initiative aims to create a fresh pipeline of talent specifically for the exhibitions and events industry.
Context: The Exhibitions Industry Collective is comprised of six exhibitions and event industry organizations, including the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA); Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA); Experiential Designers & Producers Association (EDPA); International Association for Exhibitions & Events (IAEE); International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM); and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO).
"The workforce gap is real, especially in technical roles, operations, and show services, and it's impacting every part of our ecosystem," said Julie Kagy, executive director of ESCA. "The pandemic accelerated retirements and career changes, and we haven't rebuilt that pipeline."
She continued, “At the same time, awareness of our industry among young professionals and students is incredibly low. Most students have never heard of exhibit fabrication, show floor operations, or freight management, let alone considered it as a career path. Our goal is to bridge that awareness gap and connect our future workforce with opportunities they simply haven’t seen yet.”
Key elements of the initiative include:
Educational presentations: Industry professionals will visit schools and universities to provide insights into careers in exhibitions and events.
Resource toolkit: Participants will receive a complete toolkit that includes a PowerPoint presentation, speaking notes, email communications, speaker training and FAQs, and key messaging points to ensure a consistent message.
Social media engagement: Attendees and presenters are encouraged to share their experiences by using designated hashtags and tagging the participating industry associations.
Impact tracking: A reporting system will evaluate outreach success by collecting data on the number of students reached and their level of interest in industry careers.
Julie Kagy, ESCA
We had a chance to sit down with Kagy to hear more about the strategy behind the initiative and how it works.
Savas: What inspired the launch of this workforce development initiative?
Kagy: Our industry has talked for years about the growing talent gap and the challenge of attracting new professionals, but we needed to stop talking and start doing. This initiative was born out of collaboration, through the Exhibitions Industry Collective, with the goal of creating a scalable, practical way for industry professionals to introduce students to the incredible range of careers in exhibitions and live events. We recognized that if we don’t go out and tell our story, no one else will. And the people who can tell it best are those already working in it.
Savas: What are the primary goals you hope to achieve with this initiative?
Kagy: At its core, this is about education, awareness, and access. We want to introduce students to the wide variety of careers available in exhibitions and events, inspire interest in the creative, operational, and technical aspects of what we do, and offer real pathways into the industry, whether through internships, apprenticeships, or early-career roles. Long-term, we want this program to be a feeder—helping create a stronger, more sustainable workforce across all sectors of the industry.
Savas: How does the program work? Please walk us through the process.
Kagy: Industry members volunteer to give presentations at local high schools, community colleges, and technical institutions, and we provide a complete toolkit that includes a customizable PowerPoint deck; speaking notes and a one-sheet; email templates for contacting schools; training materials, and FAQs for presenters. It’s designed to make it very easy for someone to step into a classroom and speak authentically about what they do.
Presenters are encouraged to share their own career stories and talk about the real-world work they do, from show floor logistics and creative design to venue operations and production management. Each presentation ends with a QR code that links to a brief student survey, so we can capture feedback and interest, which helps ensure continuous improvement of our outreach efforts.
Savas: What are some examples of the roles or career paths you’re highlighting through this program?
Kagy: We’re highlighting everything from event management and logistics; exhibit design and fabrication; show floor operations and production, to freight, transportation, and labor services; venue management and AV/tech roles; and marketing, content, and customer experience. We want students to see that there’s a home for many different skill sets in this industry: creative thinkers, problem solvers, project managers, builders, tech-minded individuals, and service professionals alike.
Savas: How are you measuring the success of the initiative, and how do you plan to scale or evolve the program in the coming years?
Kagy: We’re tracking engagement through number of presentations delivered, number of students reached, and survey data on student interest in learning more about industry careers. As we continue to gather that data, we’ll refine the toolkit and share best practices with volunteers. Our goal is to scale this nationally by leveraging our associations’ reach and tapping into regional volunteer networks. We’re also exploring how to integrate hands-on learning opportunities, like facility tours, job shadowing, and internship pipelines, to deepen the impact.
Savas: What kind of feedback have you received from educators or institutions so far?
Kagy: The response has been incredibly positive. Educators are eager for industry professionals to come into the classroom and connect their students to real career paths, especially those that don’t always require a four-year degree. We’ve heard everything from ‘we didn’t even know this was an industry’ to ‘can you come back next semester?’ The toolkit and structure make it easy for schools to say yes, and the personal stories from our presenters are what really resonate.
Learn more about the Exhibitions Industry Collective and access the full set of resources, including presentations, speaking notes, and key messaging points here.
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