The International Congress and Convention Association launched a new certification program for suppliers at the IMEX Frankfurt exhibition and conference happening this week at Germany’s Messe Frankfurt.
The new ICCASkills certifications are aimed at suppliers in every sector of the meetings industry, addressing issues such as bidding on conventions, sustainable destination growth, stakeholder collaboration, community engagement, and industry advocacy.
“ICCASkills was developed to bridge the education gap for the entire industry. It’s relevant and accessible for every career level, location, and sector,” says ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath.
ICCASkills has two tracks:
CICS: The Certified International Convention Specialist track is for individuals who are new to the industry or who want to improve their understanding of global business events standards. The seven-week program includes two-hour instructor-led sessions two days per week. The cost is €1,950 (U.S. $2,092) for members and €2,450 (U.S. $2,628) for non-members.
CICE: The Certified International Convention Executive program has advanced courses for professionals with at least three years of management experience. The eight-week program has three-hour instructor-led sessions two days per week. The cost is €3,400 (U.S. $3,647) for members and €4,250 (U.S. $4,562) for non-members.
Individuals can enroll in online courses with live instruction on the TalentLMS platform; alternatively, organizations can arrange for on-site classes for their staff. ICCA notes that all instructors are experts with proven teaching abilities and extensive international business-event experience.
The first CICS classes begin in July, followed by CICE programming starting in August.
