ECM launches Mentor Programme for new meeting professionals

European Cities Marketing (ECM) has launched its first ever ECM Mentor Programme, during the ECM Summer School 2.0. The initiative is designed to secure networking and knowledge exchange between newly-appointed and advanced professionals in the meetings industry. This 12-month Mentor Programme is free-of-charge and aims to help those young professionals who, during the pandemic, have missed out on being properly introduced to the sector, and thus lacking critical opportunities to build up their network, skills and knowledge. Industry partners include IAPCO, IBTM, ICCA and IMEX. Mentors (all with at least five years of experience) will contribute their knowledge and benefit also, no doubt, from exposure to new perspectives and skill sets from the newcomers. “We are very proud of this initiative. In these challenging times, this is also one more step to show the resilience of the meetings industry on the way to recovery. It is time for the established members of ECM and industry professionals to give back, to inspire, to share, and thus to make sure that our newly-appointed professionals get the best start in what we hope will be a long and successful meetings industry career. In the meantime, we’re glad to give our mentors the opportunity to share their visions, to contribute with their vast experiences and to strengthen their network despite the turbulent times,” said ECM president Petra Stusek. Mentors and mentees will be matched based on a range of criteria with participants expected to invest approximately 90 minutes each month in working together using materials from the ECM toolbox which will offer support all through the programme. Matchmaking will take place in the second-half of September 2020. ECM Mentees will be newly-appointed professionals of the meetings industry living in Europe, with no more than 18 months of experience. More information and registration via ECM website