As this year’s graduates leave University for the last time and embark on their careers, many will sit down with their parents for a conversation about the future. Will you become a doctor, a lawyer, a fighter pilot, a high-flying banker…or none of the above?

The events industry is a wonderful, vibrant place to work, offering exciting career opportunities. You know that, but do your parents?

The events industry has come a long way in the last few decades and is now about so much more than simply throwing a party.

In case you meet any objections, here are 8 good reasons that back up your decision to pursue a career in events (and you can use to convince your parents too).

  1. Events is a real job!

If any one of your elders tells you, “That’s not a real job!” you can tell them confidently that it is – with the facts and figures to back it up.

There are over 25,000 businesses in the sector including event organisers, venues, destination marketing organisations (DMOs), destination management companies (DMCs), exhibition contractors, event production companies, and a whole plethora of suppliers: transport operators, telecommunications and IT companies, interpreters and translators, caterers, event insurance specialists, and many others.

  1. The experience economy is growing

The events industry is not only very established; it’s growing consistently, fuelled by ever-growing demand for live experiences from the younger generation.

Our Millenials Study found 18-34 year olds are driving the so-called “Experience Economy” by spending over €550,265,944 each month on attending live events!

This figure is set to grow, with 66% of the study’s respondents stating they felt more fulfilled by live experiences than purchasing material possessions and 62% of them planning to increase the amount of money they spend on experiences over the next 12 months.

It’s not surprising then that, according to our 2016 Pulse Report, 67% of organisers expect their existing events to grow this year and 57% expect to launch more events in 2016.

Related: Millennials want experiences

  1. You’ll gain a great skillset

Working in events you develop a great mix of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills. You’ll need to be great at dealing with people and potentially tricky situations as well as being creative and resourceful.

On the other hand, you’ll need excellent organisational and admin skills and have a head for figures when it comes to working with budgets.

You’ll also need to develop some quick wits and be comfortable making decisions under pressure – great transferable skills.

If you later decide a career in events is no longer for you, you will have gained a skillset that is transferable to many other professions, including starting your own business.

Related: How to start an events business while holding down a job

  1. You can obtain professional qualifications

If your parents are worried about you “having nothing to fall back on,” let them know you can obtain professional qualifications for your chosen career.

Nearly 70 UK universities offer event management degrees and these include work experience opportunities that can help students get a foot in the door of leading event agencies and venues.

Once you’re in work you can still continue to develop yourself professionally, with further qualifications, such as the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP).

  1. There are a diverse range of roles

Choosing a career in events doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be planning weddings and birthday parties; it’s a hugely diverse sector with all sorts of positions available.

You could be a financial controller, an audio/visual technician or an event caterer. You could be in charge of logistics, security or building exhibition stands and stages. Marketing, sales, management and customer service roles are always in high demand too.

And you could be working on all sorts of events from festivals and gigs, to roadshows and experiential marketing, and from sales incentives and team building, to conferences and exhibitions across every imaginable industry.

  1. You can expand your horizons

Working in events offers the possibility to travel far and wide. Find the right position and you can discover amazing places all over the world that you would never have the opportunity to do so otherwise.

Perhaps you’ll stage a dinner at the foot of the pyramids in Egypt, organise a seminar in the Guggenheim Museum in New York or lead an incentive through the rain forest in Borneo.

What’s more, you’ll also get to meet an amazing range of people, from the CEOs of top companies to inspiring speakers and celebrity guests.

  1. It’s rewarding work

Working on events offers the opportunity to regularly see your hard work come to fruition. There can be nothing more rewarding than seeing the event you’ve planned on paper for months, come to life, run successfully and meet its objectives.

Do a great job and you’ll know about it, with client and attendee feedback providing the ultimate pat on the back, and the motivation you need to get started on another project.

Related: 7 Signs you were born to work in events

  1. Every day is different

If your parents think you get bored easily and that you don’t have the staying power, tell them this is the ideal job for you! In events, you can experience a huge variety in your work, dealing with different clients, different types of events and different venues all the time.

The variety should mean it won’t get stale, and you will continue to be motivated and fulfilled by your career for the long haul.

Conclusion

With all its variety and exciting opportunities, choosing a career in events is a decision you’re unlikely to regret.

Explain the benefits, and your parents are bound to support you all the way – and if they still need to be convinced, don’t forget to mention all the free tickets you’ll be able to get them!