<<RECORD SCRATCH>>
My finger hovered over the mouse button with the moment’s gravity, hesitating as my entire life — my past and future — was condensed into the millimeters of space between human and computer. Theatre Club, Tech I-III, four years at university, and crew jobs that kept me (mostly) fed through it. Catching my break into a Locations crew and five years creating a career in Hollywood (or at least Albuquerque’s Tamaléwood). Everything for a decade had been in that direction. And yet here I was with a signed contract in a draft email, ready to leave “the coolest job on Earth” for a new industry, the place I grew up for a new city, all my friends and history and the connections I had made for some place, people, and industry totally alien to me… what was I about to do? How did I get here? What is the exhibit industry anyway?
Track 9 of The Rolling Stones’ 1969 album Let It Bleed
If we surveyed our colleagues asking why or how they got into this business, we’d find many answers like my own — they started doing something totally different in their careers. They were in sales or procurement or hobbyists, attending one show a year. Their scattershot of resumés landed one in our HR inbox. They needed something to pay off the student loans for their graphic design degree. Or maybe it’s the family business. We found our way here by birthright, accident, or the convergence of circumstances. Still, we found what we wanted or needed within the walls of workshops, design studios, and convention halls. We found people who helped us get here and stick around — mentors, colleagues, and friends — people who believed in us getting the job done.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
I have been incredibly lucky and privileged. When faced with my life-changing decision, I was shown how others believed in me — my family and friends, the well-wishing colleagues I was leaving, and the new ones excited to gain my talents. Through the shocks of changes, I was supported. I was given the opportunity to succeed and the grace to fail and try again. Expectations were clear; the job was exciting with new cities and new challenges, and most crucially, people supported me; people shared in triumphs, struggles, fears, and joy, all believing in me. Had we known this industry – these people – was a career option, I think many of us wouldn’t have got here “by accident.” As I am given opportunities to mentor and lead, I see this is our path forward.
“Believe.” – Ted Lasso
Essential to our psychology, our perseverance through the human condition and the power of belief as a motivator and sustainer in the face of adversity are irrefragable. Looking forward to the challenges of sustaining our workforce, it is through belief that we will find our solutions. With internships and educational programs, we have been engaging local students, exposing them to our industry’s opportunities, and, most importantly, showing them supportive professional environments where they would be welcomed not just as they are but for who they are. We show that we believe in them, their growth, and the futures they can create when given the opportunity and space. With each student, we see growth in the program, the community, and ourselves. With each class that passes through, we deepen our commitment to creating a business and industry where the next generation wants to come to work and do great things. And with each year of seeing them grow, we believe in those futures a little more.
Non, je ne regrette rien
I haven’t known what I “wanted to do” for most of my adult life, but I’ve known what I like to do. I like to merge creativity with logistics, figuring out how to make magic happen. I like bringing people together with a shared purpose, whether as a team to execute or as an audience to be entertained. Our industry offers opportunities like this, opportunities only aspirational to many others. We don’t have the bright spotlight shining on us – we shine the lights. We look for what we want, and we find what we need. We find those who believe in us and the change we can make for our clients and colleagues. We find people who believe in building an industry that attracts the next generation and sustains the future. What I want and need, most of all, is to believe.
And here, I do.
Building a Future We Can Believe In
Young people across the industry are looking for opportunities to work with people who believe in them and support them in their development. Are you looking to break into the industry? Need some guidance, support, or help perusing relevant job boards?
We recommend starting with the Exhibitions and Events Workforce Development Federation. They are working to develop our industry by posting resources for young people and supporting their growth. You’ll find relevant training programs, networking events, and more. And if you’re looking for a job in the industry, take a look at their LinkedIn group for industry job postings and other great opportunities.
This is the first blog in Sam Ogren’s “Workforce Solutions” series. To follow along, be sure to check out the Workforce Solutions category on our blog menu.