Y MEA Updates (MEA Young Professionals)
Y MEA National Sponsor
Australian Capital Territory
ACT will shortly have a committee and new Y MEA representative to move forward and plan some exciting events for early 2009. If you are interested in joining this newly established committee and enjoy forming new relationships amoungst your industry peers, please send an email of interest to Amanda Petrie, Y MEA Coordinator apetrie@mea.org.au.
New South Wales
On 2 September, the NSW Y MEA joined together to learn how to create profitable business relationships through networking. Held at the beautiful, enchanting and newly restored Kings Cross Hotel, a venue steeped in fascinating history and old world charm, this latest Y MEA event was really a stand out.
Julia Palmer, Managing Director of BConsulted and a specialist in business relationships connected with the Y MEA crowd as the special guest speaker, captivating them with her refreshing approach to creating and sustaining business relationships. The audience learnt how to disassociate the common stereotypes of networking and took away some valuable lessons. Gone are the days of the business card thrust at the first second of introduction, the dreaded question 'What do you do?' and the awkward 15 second summary that follows. The young professionals were welcomed to a new style of networking - simply engaging, amazing and inspirational, peers and soon to be friends in conversation. The equation for the evening - Networking = fun... who would've thought it!
After the inspiring talk in the exclusive event space, the Y MEAs put all of their new found skills into practise as they enjoyed a few drinks and some delectable canapés in the intimate lounge bar. The Y MEAs made the most of the opportunity to improve their corporate productivity by refining their business relationship strategies - at the same time creating friendships that will translate into their professional lives.
A brilliant activity designed to get the Y MEAs talking combined with some fabulous incentives made the evening even more successful. William McCrea from The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners was the lucky winner of overnight accommodation in an Executive Harbour View Room at the 4.5 star Chifley Potts Point. Emma Wager, Constellation Hotel Group scored a $200 gift voucher to the exquisite boundary restaurant at The Kings Cross Hotel and four fabulous networkers (pictured below) walked away with their very own copy of Julia Palmers new book 'Buzz'.
If you are under 27 and want to join in and learn some valuable lessons about your industry, create great 'netships' (networking relationships) with your peers while having a great time, then get involved and express interest to apetrie@mea.org.au. Don't miss out on the next Y MEA event, coming soon to a venue near you!
Special thanks to Kings Cross Hotel, AV1 Audiovisual Production and Julia Palmer, BConsulted
Queensland
Y MEA: Party at Warner Brothers Movie World
Thursday 13 November 2008
The final Y MEA Qld event for the year will be held at Warner Bros. Movie World on Thursday 13 November and will be a combined Christmas event for both Brisbane and Gold Coast members. It will be one of the first industry events to be held under the new roof structure recently constructed to cover the Main Street and the Plaza area at Movie World, which now provides a sit-down dinner venue for up to 1500-2000 guests.
This unique all-weather venue will host the Y MEA networking event with a few added surprises thrown in.
MEA Queensland wishes to offer sincere thanks to Warner Bros. Movie World for its kind support of this Y MEA event and to National Sponsor Virgin Blue for their ongoing support of Y MEA.
The QLD Y MEA Committee is currently looking for new committee members. If you are 27 years of age and under and would like to be part of growing a dynamic group of young industry professionals through networking and personal development events please contact Amanda Petrie, Y MEA Coordinator on apetrie@mea.org.au – it’s a great way to meet people and make new contacts (and friends) within the meetings and events industry.
South Australia
The SA Y MEA committee are busy trying to finalise the next event for our Y MEA members. Plans to hold a behind the scenes tour for the Twilight Christmas Parade are underway. Each year along the streets of Port Adelaide, South Australia holds a Twilight Christmas Parade which signifies the start of the Christmas Season and brings the community together for an evening of fun and celebration in the iconic setting of Port Adelaide. This year the parade will be held on the 15 November and will celebrate its 21st Birthday. Our members will go behind the scenes and see what it takes to pull an event like this together.
Tasmania
We anticipate a small committee will be formed in the next few months and aim to grow Y MEA in Tasmania during the course of 2009. Please send your expressions of interest to Amanda Petrie, Y MEA Coordinator apetrie@mea.org.au and work together with fellow young-Tassie’s to create a network and develop relationships with industry members.
Victoria
The RACV Club showcased a wonderful array of their food and wines for the Y MEA crowd who gathered to hear three wonderful speakers: Rozalee Erceg from Flemington, Carolyn Josephson from Crown Events & Samantha Blackstone from The Homeless World Cup 2008 on 3 September.
The speakers covered a wide variety of sporting events including those from the lavish, no expense spared marquees of the Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington to the no budget, relying on volunteers and sponsors, of the Homeless World Cup, to the amazing amount of staff, food and beverages and logistics of the Brownlow Medal held at Crown.
Hearing about the different types of events and the challenges each one of them face was very insightful, and I believe everyone was amazed by the details of the amount of beers that Crown go through a year!
Again, a fabulous night put on for the Young MEA crowd.
Thanks to our Event Sponsors:
The VIC Y MEA Committee is currently looking for new committee members. If you are 27 years of age and under and would like to be part of growing a dynamic group of young industry professionals through networking and personal development events please contact Amanda Petrie, Y MEA Coordinator on apetrie@mea.org.au – it’s a great way to meet people and make new contacts (and friends) within the meetings and events industry.
Western Australia
On 27 August WA hosted a Y MEA Career Development Breakfast at the beautiful Acqua Viva on Swan Function Centre. The morning started with casual networking over coffee and fresh pastries, complete with breathtaking views of the city, and a slight distraction watching dolphins playing in the river below. The day drew 60 young professionals from the events industry along with students from local TAFEs and Universities, eager to obtain advice and ask questions on career progression of our panel. The panelists included Paul Cummings from Phenomenon Events, Debbie-Ann Scott from EECW and Chad Daly from Rydges Hotels, who volunteered time from their busy schedules to share their knowledge and experience in the events industry. Discussions varied from building a business from the ground up, to the importance of networking and self promotion, to what inspires them in their day to day work. After a 30 minute facilitated session, questions were taken from the audience. The morning concluded with a fabulous door prize from Perth Zoo, and much positive feedback left on our new feedback forms.
The next Y MEA networking opportunity is the upcoming Christmas Cocktails on Wednesday 5 November. Stay tuned for further details or contact Lisa Philps at MEA WA on wa@mea.org.au or 02 9929 5400.
Thanks to our Event Sponsors:
Y MEA Executive Committee
NSW
Georgie Duddy
Director
Belle-Laide Events
Ph. 02 9699 1717
Email: georgie@bellelaideevents.com.au
QLD
Clare Lee
Conference & Events Manager
Conrad Jupiters
Ph. 07 55928714
Email: clee@conrad.com.au
SA
Josh Gronow
Technician
eliteaudiovisual...the presenter's choice
Ph. 08 8363 4100
Email: josh@eliteaudiovisual.com.au
VIC
Carolina Rodriguez
Client Relationship Manager
Atlantic Group [V]
Ph. 03 8623 9600
Email: Carolina@atlantic.net.au
WA
Annette Beattie
Convention Services Executive
Hyatt Regency Perth
Ph. 08 9225 1226
Email: annette.beattie@hyatt.com
MEA National Office
Amanda Petrie
National YMEA Coordinator
Ph. 02 9929 5400
Fax. 02 9929 5600
Email: apetrie@mea.org.au