• March 31, 2026

Manchester Met tackles graduate skills gap with student-led event project

Manchester Met tackles graduate skills gap with student-led event project

Manchester Met tackles graduate skills gap with student-led event project 800 500 micebook.

Manchester Metropolitan University has launched a new large-scale student-led event designed to give its event management students more practical experience.

The initiative, TR3K, is a mass participation trek event expected to involve 500–600 students, created and delivered by events management students as part of a push to produce more “work-ready” talent.

The project comes in response to ongoing industry feedback that graduates often lack hands-on experience when entering the workforce.

Unlike traditional student projects, TR3K is designed as a live, large-scale event, with students responsible for key areas including marketing, logistics, communications and delivery.

The event will see participants take on walking routes of varying distances across Greater Manchester, while raising funds for Student Minds.

Industry partners embedded in delivery

“TR3K is powered by incredible industry partners, from Gladiator Events to Emota to Manchester Central,” said Rob Bagust, lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University.

“They are partners that have opened their doors and shared their expertise with our students. Together, we’re ensuring that learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms, but in the heart of the real world, where students gain authentic experience, meaningful insight, and the confidence to thrive from day one.”

Gladiator Events is playing a central role in the operational side of the event, acting as a safety net for areas such as risk management and health and safety, while mentoring students throughout the process.

Within the student team, individuals are paired with counterparts at Gladiator, allowing them to shadow experienced professionals and gain insight into how large-scale events are managed.

Gladiator Events said: “The TR3K project is one that we are immensely proud to be a part of. Supporting the next generation of students with an event that integrates teaching with ‘doing’ has been incredibly rewarding.

“Developing learning opportunities alongside the operational delivery has been a company-wide effort, from guest lectures to site visits and mentoring.”

Creative agency Emota has also supported the project, working with students to develop the event’s brand identity and messaging through a live brief.

Mark Jackson, managing director at Emota, said: “Giving back to the place that helped shape our careers and doing it through our volunteering days is a brilliant way to put our creative skills to good use.”

A response to industry demand

The structure of TR3K reflects a deliberate shift towards embedding practical experience within academic programmes.

Bagust explained: “TR3K empowers students to step into the industry not just prepared, but already accomplished. By uniting real, hands‑on experience with true academic rigour, we help students build the kind of stories, skills, and confidence that set them apart.

“When employers ask for ‘2 years of event experience,’ our graduates can look them in the eye and say, ‘Yes – I’ve lived it, learned it, and I’m ready for what comes next.”

Event management student Annabel Leach added: “I am so lucky to be part of this incredible project. There is no better way to learn than by doing, and this event centres the student experience; mine so far has been invaluable.”

Wider impact beyond the classroom

While led by events management students, TR3K is open to the wider university community, with a focus on mental health, wellbeing and connection.

Alongside fundraising for Student Minds, the event aims to create a legacy within the university, with ambitions for it to grow year-on-year.

With agencies continuing to report challenges in recruiting experienced talent, initiatives like TR3K highlight the importance of closer collaboration between education and industry.

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