Online Event Planner Certification: Expectations Vs. Reality
When starting your online event planner certification, you might expect a very different experience than what you’ll actually end up going through once you begin your training. Of course, this depends on the quality of training YOU choose!
Expectation: Work at your own pace
Inherent with online training is the ability to work on your studies at your own pace. When you enroll in an online course, you probably expect to receive your course materials and work at your own pace – but still have some structure in those studies. You’ll likely expect to be held accountable for completing your course work, like you would be in a traditional school setting. Chances are, you also expect deadlines or follow ups from your instructors at some point.
Reality: Work AT YOUR OWN PACE!
With an online event planner certification, no one will chase you down to make you do the work. You really do have to be motivated to complete your studies. Your assignments won’t have any deadlines, and no one will bother you about not touching your school work for weeks at a time. For someone who’s serious about becoming an event planner, this isn’t a problem! For someone who’s a serial procrastinator, it can be an issue. So, be honest with yourself about whether online training is the right choice for you!
Expectation: Videos & Multiple Choice Assignments
Many of us have taken cheap online courses where you watch a bunch of videos, then answer a multiple choice quiz at the end. Pass the quiz? Get a certificate! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Reality: Hard Work!
A reputable online event planner certification program will put you through the paces in order to graduate. Instead of ‘easy peasy lemon squeezy’, it’s more like ‘difficult difficult lemon difficult’. (But the good kind of difficult, we promise!)
Sure, there are instructional videos to watch and textbooks to read. That’s the easy part! But your training will also include real-world assignments and scenarios, too. This is to ensure that you experience what it’s really like to be an event planner. You’ll be graded by a real person (a professional event planner!) on the nuances of your work – not just based on whether you can recite information from your textbook. Again, for the right individual, it’s a wonderful way to learn.
Expectation: Learning on your own
You’re taking an online course – meaning you’re going to be teaching yourself all these things, right? After all, you’re alone in your home office (or living room, or bedroom, etc.) with a laptop, running through your assigned training. That’s a solo sport!
Reality: Support Everywhere!
We say this a lot at QC Event School: just because you’re learning online doesn’t mean you’re learning alone. Now, this is where different online schools will have different priorities. Some schools offer more personal encouragement than others. If getting support is important to you, you’ll want to choose a school that shares the same values. An online event planner certification program with a strong support system will have:
- Personal tutors who follow your work from start to finish, providing you with feedback on every single assignment you submit;
- A dedicated Student Support Team you can contact with all your questions, whether it’s about your assignment or starting your business;
- An online community of fellow students, graduates, and instructors who are always around to lend a helping hand or offer extra support;
- And more!
Whether you choose to do online event planner training or go for a brick-and-mortar school program, it’s always important to look at the pros and cons of each. This way, you can decide what will work best for YOU. Be honest with yourself on your expectations, and challenge them if you can! If you’re able to connect with other students at the school you’re considering, that’s a great way to make sure your expectations will meet reality.
If you’re considering enrolling with QC Event School, you can temporarily join the new QC Event School Virtual Classroom for a 2-week trial! On this private Facebook group, you can gain a sense of how your educational experience will unfold, as well as connect with students and tutors. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to learn more about the school!
