Jobs in events can be the ideal route for students and young people to take if temporary jobs or working flexible hours is preferable to working to a fixed number of shifts each week. The nature of events jobs means that those who need study time or who have other commitments might be able to fit this around their employment. Many events take place at evenings and weekends - and lots of roles are temporary, so this makes this type of work well worth considering.
There are many different types of events jobs out there and and a whole host of different types of events and venues where they take place (for an overview of this, you can read our article about events jobs ). This means that this type of work can offer lots of variety, it can be lots of fun, and, although there is going to be more choice of roles in larger cities, events take place all over the United Kingdom. So wherever you live, or wherever you are studying, there could be events assistant jobs available; even in rural areas.
In this article, we are going to be looking at events jobs in shows. Whether they are huge shows that attract thousands of attendees each day, major one off events, or smaller, more intimate occasions, there are lots of different types of shows where you could be part of the team that makes everything run smoothly wherever the performances are being held. And, depending on the type of company you are working for, you could find yourself doing events jobs in lots of different venues. Staffing agencies, for example, could give you this opportunity if these are the types of events assistant jobs you are looking for. Alternatively, you could also work in the same venue for each show, whether that’s for employment with a staffing agency or employment directly with the venue, itself.
When doing jobs in events, whatever role you might be doing, the final result at the end of the chain is all about making sure that every guest has a fantastic experience so that they’ll return again in the future. And this is certainly true of working at events jobs in shows. Whether it’s part time events jobs you are doing as a student - or if you are doing an internship in the hope of a future graduate career in events management jobs or theatre work, for example - many staff are expected to be aware of health and safety regulations within their role.
And of course, for those jobs in events where you are dealing with the general public who are attending shows, giving excellent customer care is going to be paramount. People who are attending shows are expecting to have a very positive experience - both while watching the show and within the venue. Whatever type of events jobs you are doing, whether that’s bar jobs, catering jobs or cleaning jobs, for example, you could well be asked for guidance around the venue or about the memorabilia and souvenirs which might be for sale. Whatever your job description, events jobs are always varied and you will need to be adaptable.
Box Office Jobs In Events - Box office events jobs at shows could be good for those who are looking for entry level jobs. Selling tickets to those wishing to attend a particular show can be done face to face, over the phone and also online. As well as excellent customer service, retail assistant jobs selling tickets will likely mean you are also handling cash and credit cards.
Cloakroom Events Jobs - Entry level jobs in events could be working in the cloakrooms at shows. These types of jobs might crop up at theatres or at the opera, for example, where guests would like to leave heavy coats and other bulky valuables, rather than take them to their seats.
Retail Assistant Jobs In Events - Events jobs at shows could also be in the form of retail assistant jobs. Many theatres and other venues will sell merchandise before during and after the show. Again, this type of work could be good for those students and young people looking for entry level jobs.
Retail assistant jobs could be anything from selling ice creams and confectionery, to selling brochures and programmes about the show or the venue. And then, of course, there is memorabilia and souvenirs such as t-shirts, pens, mugs and phone skins. These types of events jobs could prove very varied and, if you enjoy dealing with the public face to face, selling - and even up selling - then this type of work could be perfect for you.
Meeting and Greeting - Some events jobs at shows can require staff to be present at the doors to meet and greet people as they arrive and show them in the right direction so that the guests at the show get an excellent first impression.
Bar jobs in events - For entry level jobs, you could be doing catering assistant jobs such as glass collecting and generally keeping the bar area clean and tidy, restocking shelves with clean glasses. At shows, depending on the size of the venue and the type of show you are working at, you could be serving regular drinks such as pints of beer or, if you have previous experience of bar work, maybe you could find yourself preparing champagne and cocktails in a specialised bar area or VIP area.
Depending on your employer, bar work may also involve helping with setting up and closing down the bar and dealing with organising the float and cashing up at the beginning and end of each shift. As you might expect, this could lead to working a long shift - but the nature of events jobs means there could be lots of laughs involved and, particularly with bar work, you can give your wages a healthy boost with good tips from customers.
Waiter and waitressing jobs - Again, for students and young people looking for entry level jobs, catering assistant jobs could be worth applying for, for working at shows. Many types of venues and shows can require staff to do events jobs waiting on tables. Depending on the type of show you are working at, this can be serving guests who are dining in VIP areas or it could be waiting on tables in food bar areas where guests go prior to the show or at intervals.
Kitchen assistant jobs in events - Catering jobs in events at shows working as a kitchen assistant could suit those students and young people either with a background in kitchen work or who are looking to work in future catering jobs at a higher level. Events jobs in kitchens at shows could be assisting with prepping finger foods or special meals for those in VIP areas or restaurants. And, for major shows where thousands of people might be in attendance, it could also be a case of helping out with the preparation of snack foods to feed the masses.
Some venues may have self-service food bars where you could be required to serve food directly to the customer from behind a food counter. These types of catering assistant jobs can be ideal work experience for many different future careers as you need to be organised and be able to work quickly.
Kitchen porter events jobs - Catering jobs in events - for those looking for entry level jobs - could also be in the form of kitchen porter jobs. To work as a kitchen porter at shows or other types of events, you need to be relatively fit because there is a often a good deal of lifting, fetching and carrying involved. Catering assistant jobs as a kitchen porter could see you taking delivery of kitchen stock and stacking it in the right areas, making sure enough cutlery and crockery is in the correct places for chefs and waiting on staff, helping with the washing up and generally keeping the kitchen area clean and hygienic both during and after service.
There are lots of different types of catering assistant jobs in events for students and young people who are looking to do either entry level jobs or the types of roles that might require more experience. If you are studying for a relevant qualification - such as a catering and hospitality qualification - you may be able to build up some work experience in more specialised events jobs whilst still working flexible hours as you complete your course.
For more information about doing catering jobs at events, be sure to read our dedicated article where you can find more information about the types of roles that might be out there, the venues where you could work and, perhaps more importantly, which companies advertise roles that might suit students and school leavers. Click this link to read more about catering jobs in events .
It depends on the type of show and the venue where the show is being held, but some places will require a facilities management team to look after jobs such as stage set up, room organisation and layout and clean up jobs after the show has taken place.
Whilst some facilities management jobs in events can be highly specialised, requiring qualifications and a sound knowledge of health and safety requirements, there are entry level jobs that could suit students and young people too. One of these roles is cleaning jobs. Although they might not sound very glamorous or appealing, cleaning jobs at shows can be lots of fun. It can be a big clean up of the venue after the event where you are part of a large team of people, lots of whom might be in your peer group. And, for those who enjoy working with the general public, cleaning jobs can also see you keeping specific areas clean during the show, too. Picking up litter, making sure bins are emptied and also making sure the bathroom areas are clean, tidy and restocked with toilet paper and soaps. Whatever type of events job you do, they are all about providing excellent customer service in some way.
If you would like to find out more about the different types of facilities management jobs and cleaning jobs at events, E4S have a dedicated article on these sort of events jobs. This article could also be of use to students who might be looking to build a future graduate career in events management jobs, as well as those just looking to work flexible hours while studying. If this is you then, by all means, take a look at our more detailed information about facilities management jobs and cleaning jobs in events .
Again, for large shows in venues where crowd control might be necessary, or stewarding of other forms is required, security jobs and event steward jobs could be available for students and young people wanting to do events jobs. These types of jobs will suit those who are confident, yet firm and friendly when dealing with the general public. Entry level jobs in this kind of events work could be in checking entry tickets or traffic marshalling, for instance, especially for large venues with numerous car parks and buildings. If you have any first aid qualifications, these could go towards helping you get more specialised roles for event steward jobs.
Some security jobs in events require special licenses or qualifications - but this doesn’t necessarily mean entry level jobs for students and young people without previous experience are not available. If you think this type of work at shows might suit you, take a look at our E4S dedicated article for more information about companies where work could be available, as well as duties that might be expected of you and venues where you could find work. Shows are hosted at some of the most prestigious venues in the United Kingdom and you could be working at some of these venues. Take a look at our more detailed article about event security jobs now.
For young people who are thinking about building a career in the theatre, or working at shows in general, there are of course other creative events jobs and careers for you to consider. If you are doing relevant qualifications - or if you are thinking about doing apprenticeships, for instance - there could be creative events jobs in roles such as set and costume design, casting and choreography, lighting and sound. Some companies who specialise in this type of entertainment may offer apprenticeships, internships or other tailored training programmes for those with an interest in this type of work.
Delaware North UK
Delaware North UK have catering jobs in events at venues all over the United Kingdom so they could be staffing shows at a venue close to you.
RD Resourcing
RD Resourcing also staff venues all over the United Kingdom so there could be catering assistant jobs at shows available locally.
CGC Event Caterers
For northwest and northeast based students and young people who are looking for catering jobs; Manchester, Leeds or Sheffield for example, CGC Event Caterers could be providing the staff for shows in venues close to your home or your university.
etc. venues
If you are looking for catering assistant jobs in London etc. venues could be worth a look at for working at shows.
When shows take place in larger venues such as exhibition centres or arenas, those types of places usually employ a facilities management company to do roles such as cleaning jobs. Two facilities management companies you could look at are:
Combined Services Provider
Again, the good news is that these guys staff venues all over the United Kingdom - so there could be shows near you where you could be a part of the team.
Showsec
Again, covering major shows all over the United Kingdom, you could do security jobs and steward jobs with Showsec.
Triforce
Again, providing both security and hospitality for shows and other events, Triforce could have event steward jobs and hospitality and catering jobs. This company provide structured training for specialised roles.
Phoenix Group
If you are interested in security jobs and are based in Birmingham or elsewhere in the Midlands regions, Phoenix Group could have opportunities available.
If you would like to do events jobs at shows, the good news is, shows can take place at lots of different types of venues (as you might expect!). This makes these types of events jobs worth thinking about for students and young people in towns and cities just about anywhere in the United Kingdom because most places have a venue where shows could take place.
Obviously, if you are looking for retail assistant jobs in London or other events jobs in London, then you could well have a lot of choice as there are so many venues out there hosting shows. But it’s not just the big cities that host shows. Many towns have theatres or other venues where shows are hosted and all of these could offer temporary evening or weekend jobs for students and young people.
Shows can be pop and rock concerts at large venues. Some bands prefer more intimate gigs in smaller settings, so, for example, for events catering jobs, Manchester has ‘Manchester Academy’; a popular student venue where there could be job opportunities such as bar work or event steward jobs, checking tickets on the door.
Other venues can be theatres which host plays, pantomimes and musicals. Orchestras, classical music recitals, world music events, dance shows. The list goes on and on...and, if you do events jobs, you could be a part of any one of these occasions. Exhibition centres - and, these days, even race courses and sporting venues such as cricket grounds - host shows of various descriptions.
Obviously, if you have previous experience in bar work, catering jobs, retail assistant jobs or any of the roles we have mentioned throughout this article, then that will usually be an advantage for you when you are applying for events jobs. Any work experience you can show on your CV is always beneficial - especially if you have been particularly good at sales in retail jobs or customer service when dealing with the public, for example.
However, don’t worry - because all is not lost even if you have no previous work experience. Events jobs lend themselves very well to students and young people looking for entry level jobs. The main thing you need to be able to demonstrate is your enthusiasm for working at events. If you can show the employer that you are friendly, outgoing, highly motivated, willing to work evenings and weekends, willing to work long hours, willing to be flexible and, most importantly, always prepared to put the guest first so that they have a first class experience at the show, then you could still land events jobs.
First things first: work experience is always going to look good on your CV whatever type of future jobs or graduate careers you are hoping to get into. Each job you do will give you different transferable skills that you can take with you into your future career and events jobs at shows are certainly no exception. Some of the qualities you will develop while doing events jobs at shows are:
Working at shows could be great fun - and you could be the envy of your peers if you land a job like this because you might be working at some of the biggest events in the United Kingdom where tickets get sold out in a matter of hours. Depending on the type of events job you do, you might get to see the show AND you’ll be getting paid while you are doing it.
If you think working at shows or being a part of the hardworking team at other events would suit you, take a look at the current vacancies being advertised via E4S. Get your application form and CV to company and, you never know, you could be working in events jobs before you know it...
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