Event Planning Training

Which Online Event Planning Courses are Best?

One of the most common questions I hear is about event planning training.

"What event planning training do I need to start my career?"
"What online event planning courses should I take?"
"Which event planning certification courses are best?"
"What do you think of the _____ course?"

Of course, these are very legitimate questions, and ones that you should be asking. And yet, this is one of the most frustrating questions to me.

This is frustrating for me for a number of reasons:

• First and foremost, I hate to recommend (for or against) any event planning training course unless I know, first-hand, what it's like. But, since I am well established in my career, I simply do not need to take any courses! So how can I, in good conscience, say one course is better than the other?

• Every single one of my readers is coming from a different place. My advice to a person just graduating high school is going to be different than my advice to a person who is in her mid-50's and is trying to change careers. For more on whether further education is the right step for you, be sure to read my advice on schooling on the Event Planning Courses page.
  
  
• Along the same lines, my advice about what event planning training you need changes according to your personal goals. My advice to someone who wants to be a wedding planner is entirely different than my advice to someone who wants to be a corporate meeting planner.

• Perhaps most importantly, my answer is dependent on your personal expectations of what you will get out of taking an event planning training online course. If you think that, by taking an online course, you will be guaranteed a job, then you are going to be sorely disappointed, and my advice would be to not waste your money.

  If, however, you are planning out your career and see that some courses might offer you some basic information that you need to learn to get started, then an online event planning training course might fulfill your expectations.

  For more on that topic, be sure to read all about Event Planner Certifications and what they truly are about.
  
  

With that being said, it is still only fair for me to try to recommend some event planning training courses to the best of my ability. Below are some courses that, based upon their websites, I do or do not recommend.

But before you read my suggestions, get some input from other people, just like you, who have taken the class! (or, if you've taken any courses yourself, PLEASE help others by leaving your feedback on my Reviews page) Check out the Event Planning Schools Reviews page to see what other people think.

Ok. Before we go any further, please understand that these are my own personal opinions, based upon nothing other than the school's website and their syllabus (if it's available on the website). I have no personal connections with or against any of the following schools; and do not personally know anyone who has taken these courses.

Again, my opinions are based strictly upon my experience in the industry and what the course promises on their website.

• QC School of Event and Wedding Planning:
  Despite the professional-looking website, two "red flags" jump out at me right away.

  First of all, any organization that groups event planning and wedding planning together just doesn't understand the business. Anyone who considers herself a true event or meeting planner never classifies her responsibilities in the same group as wedding planners (for more on these distinctions, read the Wedding Planning and the Party Planning pages).

  Secondly, I always steer clear of any course that promises you that you can start your own event planning business by the end of the course. This is a complete lie; no amount of schooling can prepare you for the reality of owning your own event planning business. For more on why I say this, be sure to read why you should not open your own business without any experience.
  
  Finally, a quick glance at the course syllabus shows that this company is all about wedding planning, and are merely trying to expand into event planning. The course outline is divided into six segments, or "units." Three of the six units are dedicated solely to wedding planning. Of the other three, only two line items refer to corporate meetings and events, fund raisers, or other types of events.

  As I mention on the Party Planning page, you will never make a good living being a party planner. Especially in this tough economy, why would Mrs. Jones pay you to plan her 6-year-old's birthday party? More importantly, how much is she willing to pay? I can guarantee that Microsoft has a bigger budget for its planners than Mrs. Jones does for a birthday party.

  So, based upon my preliminary research, I would say a resounding NO if asked whether I recommend this school.
  
  
  

• U.S. Event Guide:
  I like that they separate out wedding planning from event planning, unless you choose to combine the two courses. However, once again I cringe whenever I read that "you can start your own event planning business" by the end of their course, even though you've never planned a single event. It simply blows my mind.

  Also, be aware that their CEP (Certified Event Professional) designation is theirs and theirs alone. It means nothing to anyone outside of their company, as far as I know. If you have that on your resume, it will show your employer that you care enough to take a course; which can, admittedly, put you ahead of someone else who didn't take the course. On the other hand, it's not like the employer is going to jump and down in glee, thankful that you took the course and therefore know everything there is to know about event planning.

  Nothing, simply nothing, beats experience.

  Therefore, I do like that they offer hands-on experience (they call it "Real World Experience"), although without chatting with them I am not sure what this means. Does this mean you get to shadow a planner for one day? If so, forget it. Does it mean they'll place you in a three-month internship? If so, then it's worth looking into.

  The course outline holds some promise; I like that they emphasize contracts, how to actually plan an event, and how to work with vendors. However, once again, it scares me that they spend so much time talking about how to start your own business, how to name it, and so on. That is something you can't be thinking about for at least 3 or 5 years down the road.

  It also concerns me that they do focus on birthdays, family reunions, and children's parties. The only corporate function they mention is "Corporate Luncheons." I'm sorry, but if you want to make a true living, you will be managing large, week-long, corporate meetings. I hardly consider a meeting with 3,000 attendees, 200 breakout rooms, and multi-stage production a "party" or a "corporate luncheon."

  This course is much more reasonably priced than QC, but I still think you aren't getting what you need to start a career in event planning. If you have the spare money and the time, and can approach this purely as a learning experience with no expectations, then consider it and proceed with caution.

  Otherwise, I'd have to again say that you can learn this by reading a few books and following the steps I outline on my Career Planning page.
  
  

• The International School of Hospitality:
  Finally! A school I feel confident recommending. This is an actual, reputable training school, with what seems to be true training in event planning management. It has a physical campus in Las Vegas, but you can also sign up for online courses as well.

  Of course, the tuition is a bit more than the other online courses; but this school seems to offer true, legitimate information and training; as well as internship placement.

  Please remember I don't have any direct experience with this school, so please do your research. Ask questions, and ask for referrals of alumni. However, I definitely think that if you are serious about pursuing your event planning career, TISOH is worth looking into.

• U.S. Career Institute:
  Again, this seems to be more of a wedding planning course than event planning; they just throw the term "event planning" out there to snag in event planner hopefuls.

  It's not even worth looking any further; I refuse to recommend any course that thinks wedding planning and event planning are the same thing. If wedding planning is your goal, then you can look further into it; but that's not my specialty so I can't recommend it. For serious event planning candidates, look somewhere else.

• Universal Class:
  This course, at first glance, held a little hope. I like that they seem to explore contracts, budgets, and handling clients and vendors. However, again the emphasis seemed too heavy on birthday parties, bridal showers, and weddings. If you have any hope of becoming a true event planner, keep looking.

In the meantime, I have decided that I am going to put together some online courses that truly teach you what you really need to know to get started in the business. It seems there is a need that needs to be filled; and so my next project begins.

Stay tuned!

As you can see, it is difficult for me to give one-way, all-encompassing advice to you. Every person that reads this page is coming from different backgrounds, with different experience, different schooling, and different expectations.

For true, personal, one-on-one advice, I can do personal consulting or coaching for an hourly fee. For only $35 per hour, you can get the advice of someone who is in the industry and can give you advice based upon your situation. Just send me an email via the Contact Me form and we can set up the details.

Remember, a little planning now can save you years of heartache or misguidance in the future. If you want to plan for a living, plan your living now!