PCMA’s Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification for event professionals has secured a new partner to extend its impact on the industry recovery. Encore, a leading global event technology and production company, is partnering with PCMA as part of a three-year agreement to include scholarships and other direct benefits to the business events community.

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Digital and hybrid event education has proven to be important during the global pandemic to re-skill the industry. Organizations needed to find a way to meet, and the rapid transition to leverage digital platforms was the only path forward. Now, with PCMA and Encore continuing to lead the path to innovation for immersive event experiences, we can expect more sophisticated learning models, technology platforms and business solutions.

The partnership agreement will center around PCMA’s DES program, a certification designed to help future-proof events. “Over the past year, PCMA’s globally-recognized DES course has delivered a much-needed educational resource for event professionals designed by event professionals,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE, PCMA president and CEO. “This exciting new partnership with Encore will provide us with the platform to elevate DES to the next level.” The DES program is comprised of six expert-led modules that cover topics from business plans and monetization to measurement and ROI. PCMA’s global community of graduates and students continue to reinforce the course learnings with active participation in expert-led webinars and discussions.

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“We are thrilled to partner with PCMA on this established and proven certification,” said Ben Erwin, Encore President and CEO. “In-person events will be made stronger with the possibilities that virtual and hybrid events bring to our industry, enabling us to reach more people. We are proud to help our industry build for the future with expertise in a digital environment.”