May 24, 2021 | By Joyce DiMascio
The impact of the pandemic on our industry has been widely reported and while some people are back at work, their experiences are quite diverse.
We asked two people in our industry, both Melbourne-based, what their experience has been like over the past 12 months and what their message for industry is.
Nikki Witman (above left)
Operations Manager, Talk2Media and Events
Role: I am responsible for coordinating, managing and implementing all infrastructure and logistical functions required to produce the Good Food & Wine Shows held across Australia.
Where we you last year in mid-May? What was your work predicament? What were you dealing with?
With the introduction of JobKeeper I was able to return to work at 50 percent capacity after being stood down in March. As all of my events were postponed, I was unable to work in my permanent position however, I was able to assist the business and event teams with other duties outside of my remit.
Twelve months on, where are you at with your work? Has anything changed?
It is full steam ahead with my first event set to take place in seven weeks at the International Convention Centre Sydney! I am now working full-time, with three days at home and two days in the office. I am also now responsible for implementing all COVID-19 regulations.
On a personal level, what have you learnt about yourself and life through all that has happened?
Reflecting upon 2020, I can now recognise how strong I was to persevere through a challenging year both personally and professionally. I am a strong advocate for mental health and the importance of taking care of yourself. The one key takeout I have learnt is that we should always be prioritising mental wellbeing and self-care.
What is your message to our industry?
We have proven how resilient we can be, and the strength of our community – there is no doubt we will, and are, coming back stronger.
Trish Jacoby (above right)
Conference and Event Planning Executive, Sofitel on Collins (formerly Events Coordinator, ExpoNet)
Role: Working with clients to deliver a wide range of business events.
Where we you last year in mid-May? What was your work predicament? What were you dealing with?
Last May I was thanking my lucky stars that the JobKeeper allowance had kicked in. I was stood down in March (along with most of the industry) and with no annual leave to draw on, the future was looking grim, so JobKeeper began at just the right time for me. I was also in the very lucky position of having a partner who didn’t stop working throughout the pandemic and was able to support me during the tougher months of last year.
Twelve months on, where are you at with your work? Has anything changed?
For a while there I thought I would study something else and leave the events industry behind, but after helping out on some local events I realised that the events industry will always have my heart – it’s like that first love you never forget.
I’ve just begun a new full-time role at Sofitel Melbourne in their Conference & Events department, and they are a great bunch of people to work with, I’m really enjoying it. It’s a bit of a 180 degree from my previous role with an exhibition supplier, but I’m looking forward to seeing the industry from the venue management perspective for a change. And it is such a great feeling to see people coming into the hotel for face-to-face events again – especially with the announcement of Sofitel Melbourne on Collins being the host venue for the MEA conference 2021.
On a personal level, what have you learnt about yourself and life through all that has happened?
I think two of the biggest lessons I had last year was to start being more selective in life and my career. I had the good fortune to have few great people be my referee and I began to understand how important those relationships are – especially with all the changes this past year. I also learned to listen to the experts – it’s taken a while but I am no longer ashamed of admitting I don’t know the answer and deferring to those who do. And that applies just as much for COVID-19 vaccines as it does for my computer problems.
What is your message to our industry?
Be humble – as much as our industry is hurting right now, there are people suffering and doing it a lot harder than ourselves.
Be prepared to help where you can. It’s going to take all hands on deck to get things back on track, but if there’s one thing we’re good at as a community, it’s getting stuck in and helping each other out when it’s needed.