Meet the Voices “The magic happens in the planning, coordination, teamwork and thousands of small details.” A Career Too Few Young People Know Exists Despite their enthusiasm, all three believe the industry’s biggest challenge begins long before recruitment. Young people simply don’t know business events is a career option. “I don’t think it’s because younger people aren’t interested,” says Calouro. “I think a lot of them just don’t know this industry exists.” Before studying event management, she says she “had no idea experiential marketing was even a career.” Khan sees the same issue. “Many students only see the final product and don’t realize how many different careers exist behind the scenes,” he says, noting opportunities in operations, production, marketing, hospitality and project management. Creating awareness earlier—in schools, through internships and through hands-on experiences—is critical, they argue. “I believe this career path should be introduced to students at an earlier stage,” says Khan. “Many young people do not realize what happens behind every major event.” Passion Alone Won’t Keep People Here The survey found widespread concerns around workload, compensation and burnout. None of these three event pros were surprised. “Passion needs to be supported by clear career paths, competitive compensation and healthier work environments,” says Khan. Calouro acknowledges the profession demands resilience. “There have definitely been times where I’ve felt burnt out,” she says. “I always say you have to be a little crazy to work in events because no two days are ever the same.” → Katelyn Calouro, 24 Account coordinator, Jack Morton Worldwide, a global brand experience and experiential marketing agency Humber Polytechnic, Hospitality Event Management, 2025 Adil Khan, 27 Independent Event Professional currently exploring full-time opportunities; experience in delivering large scale events, including FIFA World Cup 2026 & Canada Games 2025 Conestoga College Postgraduate Degree, Event Management, 2024 Rene Cristancho, 26 Event coordinator, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Conestoga College Graduate Degree, Event Management, 2023 Fall 2026 | Ignitemag.ca | 31
