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Event Planning Certificate Program

woman planning event at table with coworkers

 

It’s critical for planners to know how to effectively organize, budget and market a variety of different events to keep the company in the green, out of trouble, and on the minds of donors, business partners, and customers. Earning a certificate in Event Planning will expose you to the many different facets of being an event planner from managing people and projects to increasing exposure and dollars for your organization. Participants can earn a certificate by attending six of the designated event planning workshops (EP), which are offered each semester. Workshops are held online via Zoom or at WCU Biltmore Park.

We are in the process of planning the 2022 workshop series with dates to be released soon!

$129 per workshop or register for 6 workshops for $695 (a 10% discount!) Workshops continuing education credits. Tenets of Project Management counts as 2 of the 6 required.

If you’d like to build the certificate over time and pay as you go, you will be given an option to select your workshop(s) of choice during the registration process. You will also be given an option to select and pay for the entire certificate program at the discounted price.

Event Planning 101 is the mandatory first introduction course. It’s an online asynchronous training through Ed2Go called Wow! What a Great Event. 

The other 5 workshops are either on-site at our WCU Biltmore Park location or online synchronous “live” one-day trainings. The Tenets of Project Management workshop counts as two of the 6 required workshops and is at a higher fee. It’s a comprehensive and highly recommended training for an event planner.

Many of our workshops are required as part of other certificate programs, so there may be a focus in a certain industry, like the outdoor industry certificate, but the content is still relevant for event planners.

Online and on-site training includes an hour break for lunch. If attending on-site, you will receive a discount to some of the local restaurants in Biltmore Park. 

Step 1:
Register for the Event Planning 101 Ed2Go training through the linked title below. Once you complete this training, send your “certificate of Completion” to jcthompson@wcu.edu  The $100 fee is deducted from the WCU certificate, so the remainder of the certificate program will cost $595.
Registration information coming soon!

Step 2:

Register for one or all 5 of the remaining “live” on-site or online workshops through the link below. You can do this before completing the Event Planning 101 course if you’d like to ensure you get a seat. Tenets of Project Management counts as two workshops and is a higher price; unless you register for the Entire Certificate program.
Registration information coming soon!

 

Event Planning Workshops

Register below for one of the upcoming workshops. Learn more about workshop instructors.

Event Planning 101 via Ed2Go -  Online, Asynchronous
Are you planning a special event and could use some helpful advice? Considering event planning as a future career? Curious about what other event planners are doing? Need new ideas and resources? This event planning course has all that and more!

Current & Tested Social Media Strategies for Digital Marketing  - Thursday, September 23 / WCU Biltmore Park or online via Zoom
Social media is more than simply posting updates to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. In event marketing, social media can increase ticket sales, attendee participation, media attention, and word of mouth sharing when goals are clearly defined and a tactical strategy is in place.

Tenets of Project Management - Wednesday, October 13, 2021 / WCU Biltmore Park or online via Zoom
Available only as part of the EP certificate or there is an additional fee) Project management can sometimes seem overwhelming. Successful projects can increase income as well as awareness of your organization or business in the community.

Small Business Finance and Operational Strategies - Tuesday, October 26 / WCU Biltmore Park or online via Zoom
The success of any small business is based on developing a practical yet dynamic approach to financial planning. Revenue and expense projections should account for fluctuations in the economy, industry, trends and a plan for business expansion in the future.

Making Every Penny Count: Event Budgeting 101 - Friday, October 29 / WCU Biltmore Park
Whether planning a special celebratory event on a large budget or a non-profit fundraising event or conference on a tight budget, it’s critical to understand how to negotiate with vendors and track every penny related to the costs. If it’s a revenue-generating event, it’s even more important to control costs while not sacrificing the quality of the event to ensure there is a high-level of participant and that the financial goals are met. Attend this one day workshop to learn more about how to budget for a variety of events, or combine this with other event planning workshops to earn a certificate.

Vendor Selection Strategies for Your Event Type - Coming soon!

For more information call 828.227.7397.

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