Unlocking graduate potential: enhancing employability amongst event management students using Lego® Serious Play®

Purpose
This study investigates how event educators can respond to the current challenging higher education environment and prepare the future workforce for employment in the competitive and ever-changing events industry. It scrutinises the employability of event management graduates as an integral part of the continued evolution of events education and how best to support event management students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the Lego® Serious Play® method, the study outlines how higher education institutions can not only meet their responsibility to prepare event management students for the workforce but can also enhance their own reputation by developing employability outcomes.

Findings
The findings contribute to a better understanding of graduate employability issues for event management students. It also highlights the importance of reimagining educational strategies, using creative methodologies such as Lego® Serious Play® to support the next generation of event leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators working in the events industry.

Practical implications
This research aims to help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and employability within the events sector. Practical recommendations for developing robust entrepreneurial skillsets among event management graduates, using creative and innovative methodologies, are identified.

Originality/value
This study identifies strategies and techniques to help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and employability within the context of events and festivals. It also highlights the broader scope and scalability of Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) as a creative methodology to further explore a diverse range of event and festival settings.