With great pleasure and enthusiasm, ARUL’s event management students welcomed and listened intently to guest speaker Alice Hill of ILOVETOUR. Alice, the Operations Executive at ILOVETOUR, showcased how her organisation: the UK’s Top Student Sports Tour Operator - can play an important part in the life of an event management student. Alice, initially invited and consecutively hosted by ARUL’s Senior Lecturer Jonathan Blackburn, delivered a thought-provoking 40-minute interactive presentation on how and what ILOVETOUR can offer an event management student.
Together with informing the students about working at ILOVETOUR, Alice shared top tips on how to enter and succeed in this dynamic and creative industry. She acknowledged the importance of communication, attention to detail as well as having fun, and a laugh along the way! She reminded students that things will, and can go wrong but noted that it is how these mini-derails are handled: therein lies the magic! As elevated ‘phone in hands’ went up amongst the crowd; ready to capture the information on screen - Alice continued to speak onher love of the industry. ARUL colleagues, versed Alice on the university’s dedication to employability and asked Alice: “How can students ensure they are ‘graduate-ready’’’? She kindly reminded her audience that your passion will always drive success. Again, she reiterated the importance of communication and having confidence in oneself. In a world that is subject to immense, intense, and immediate change; specifically, in the events management industry, Alice encouraged students; in the face of adversity – to react quickly with an informed decision.
Alice concluded her visit to ARUL with an open invitation to all students present, to at least consider her offer, of joining ILOVETOUR. On this closing note, all camera phones once again saluted upright and outstretched, captured her contact details and celebrated the industry speakers visit to ARUL. Huge applause of appreciation remained and subtle undercurrent dedications of belongingness, to the events management sector; prevailed, long after the last student body exited the room.
Anne Conneally, Deputy Head of School