Introduction To Part Time Jobs In Festivals And Events

So, we are continuing with our more in depth posts for those of you who are looking to do part time work but you would like to do that work in the great British outdoors rather than in an office, factory or other type of building. In this article, we will take a look at what is often considered to be a fun type of work; part time outdoor festivals and events jobs.

There are loads of ideas out there for the types of part time outdoor jobs you could do and a while back, we gave you 16 great suggestions for part time employment where you can earn money whilst you enjoy sunny weather, gardens, cityscapes and – yes, this is the United Kingdom – also deal with the unpredictability of our famous weather. As well as sunshine, working outdoors means you will also have to deal with wind, rain and not so warm temperatures.

But, if you do want to work outdoors, you have probably taken all that into consideration and decided that being exposed to the elements – whatever they may be – is definitely the way forward for you. Working at festivals and events can see you doing temporary work at all types of outdoor venues at all times of year. So, let’s get started and take a look at this interesting type of part time outdoor work.

How Do I Become A Member Of Staff At Outdoor Festivals And Events?

Whether you are looking for entry level part time jobs or work where a professional qualification or a certain level of skill and experience is necessary, the good news about working outdoors at festivals and other events is that there could be a role for you.

So, how do you go about finding these fun, but hard work, outdoor roles?

Ask locally

Well, some posts could be for one off events whilst others could be regular weekend or evening work. If you have a venue close to where you live – a country house or a sports stadium, for example – you could always drop by to enquire about how they staff their events. If they employ local people, then you could register your interest in this way stating any experience you might have. Sometimes, you sheer enthusiasm can be enough so don’t worry if you have no previous work experience.

Check out events agencies

Many major national events such as music festivals or sports meetings are staffed by events agencies. Some agencies might give you the opportunity to work all around the United Kingdom – if that is the type of part time work you are looking for – whilst other roles could be working a few hours every week or month at the same venue. The events agency look after all your duties of employment and provide uniform – where needed – and sometimes transport to the venue, too, if it is difficult to reach.

Check out UK Part Time Jobs vacancies

Both individual venue employers and staffing agencies advertise their vacancies with UK Part Time jobs and some of those roles could be temporary or permanent part time jobs working outdoors at events and festivals. Keep an eye out for any suitable roles that might crop up on our vacancy listings so that you don’t miss out and you can also sign up with us.

What Are The Roles & Duties Of Someone Who Works At Events?

Where to start with this one. Just sit and think for a moment about all the organisation, both behind the scenes and on the front line – that goes into the organisation, set up and running of a successful event. That’s good news because it means there are many types of roles – all of them carrying their own specific duties – for people to do, so there could be something out there that matches your strengths. Just remember that whatever role you do, outdoor events can take place at all times of year, on weekdays, weekends and evenings so you need to be prepared to work a whole range of hours.

For this article, we are concentrating on part time outdoor positions within the events industry so let’s take a look at some possible jobs and the duties involved.

Part Time Event Planning

Part time event planning can see you working indoors as well as outdoors. This is a role for someone with experience in the events industry and in events management and could be ideal for those with commitments such as mums who are looking to get back on track with building a career but still need to be around for their young family.

The event planner or events organiser makes sure everything runs smoothly right from the planning stage to the actual event taking place and the clear up operation afterwards. Depending on the company or the venue, this could be the planning of a few events each year or it could be regular weekend work.

Part Time Outdoor Event Security Jobs

These types of part time outdoor events jobs could be much more fun than they sound and they come with various responsibilities. Some security jobs will mean you need specialist licenses and training whilst other roles are suitable for those of you looking for entry level outdoor work.

Duties of those working in event security jobs can be:

• Directing traffic to car parking spaces.
• Checking tickets at the entrance and monitoring the turnstiles.
• Crowd control – making sure queues are orderly and moving.
• Talking to people – some event security roles will mean you have to be able to calm people down in a heated situation. Of course, on the flip side, you can also have good fun with people who are at the event to have fun, too.
• Stewarding inside stadiums – making sure people are in their correct seats, making sure no one is attempting to climb boundaries.
• Making sure everyone is safe – crowd monitoring might need you to do some basic first aid on occasion – if someone is ill or injured – until official medical team arrives.
• Patrolling areas. If an outdoor event is taking place over a few days, part time event security jobs could see you patrolling outside and inside the venue at night times as a visual deterrent.

Part Time Outdoor Event Catering Jobs

Again, working at outdoor events as part of the catering team means you could find yourself entry level roles as well as positions which require experience or qualifications. Depending on the nature of the event, you could find yourself cooking and preparing food and drinks or serving these to customers. Some of the roles and duties of catering staff at outdoor events could be:

• Part time head chef or cook – preparing food for al fresco diners. You could also be preparing street foods such as burgers, pies and noodles and serving them from food trucks.

• Waiting on staff – part time outdoor events jobs as part of the waiting on team could see you carrying around trays of finger foods, mingling with the guests, so that they can take food as they like. You could be setting tables for grand banquets or weddings and serving food to hundreds of guests as part of a large team. If you have more experience, you could also be doing catering jobs as a silver service waiter or waitress or in a supervisory role as head waiter or waitress.

• Outdoor bar jobs – again, part time bar jobs at outdoor events can vary greatly. You could be dealing with a champagne reception or recommending fine wines at one event whilst at others, it’s a case of keeping revellers or festival goers topped up with soft drinks and beer.

Part Time Sales Assistant Jobs At Events

Other part time entry level roles at outdoor events could be as part of the retail team. Depending on the type of event, you might be selling souvenirs such as postcards, t-shirts and other souvenirs.

Part Time Outdoor Rigging Jobs

Many outdoor events such as festivals or weddings are one off events in a location chosen for its space. If you are good at hands on work and love to get stuck in there, why not work outdoors as part of the team that erects the stage and lighting or erecting marquees. Some companies specialise in this type of service for outdoor events so you could find part time work with them.

Maintenance And Cleaning Jobs

For outdoor events to run smoothly with everything working and everyone enjoying themselves, a maintenance team must be on hand to make sure that happens. So if you are a handy person, why not think about part time maintenance jobs at events. This type of work can involve small plumbing jobs, minor electrical repairs such as replacing spend or faulty light bulbs, fixing wobbly chairs and tables. Effective maintenance must be in place if the safety of the those attending the event is to be ensured.

And it might not sound like a glamorous job but part time cleaning jobs at outdoor events are also critical to the smooth running of the event taking place. Cleaners have various duties at outdoor events. Picking up litter and emptying bins so that guests at the event remain in safe and clean surroundings. Part time cleaners will also be responsible for cleaning toilet blocks or other ‘bathroom’ areas, where the event is taking place. For safety, you will also be responsible for cordoning off and cleaning up spillages so that people don’t fall on slippery surfaces. Some part time cleaning jobs at outdoor events might see you using industrial machinery for which you should receive training.

What Type Of Person Works At Outdoor Events?

All events are special occasions and, more often than not, they are designed to be happy occasions where everyone is there to have a memorable time. It is not just the event taking place that makes for a happy, memorable experience but also the team of people that are working to make the event run smoothly. So, who works at events?

Confident with people

For most part time outdoor events jobs, you are going to be dealing with the general public whether directly or indirectly so you need to be confident in your dealings with them. You could be answering questions, guiding people around the venue or serving food, drink and other items. If you think you are cut out to do all this with a smile on your face, part time events jobs could be for you.

Hardworking people

Outdoor events jobs are full on and you could be working long hours throughout the duration of the event. Whether it’s a day long event or a festival lasting over a short period, be prepared for long days and nights – hard work but rewarding. As long as there are guests there, you will be there, too, especially in frontline jobs. For cleaning and rigging jobs, you will be working after the event is over, too, for the clear up operation.

Fun loving and friendly people

Yes, it’s going to be full on, long hours but events are all about fun, too. Your personality can shine through so that everyone – guests and staff – can have a fun time. No one wants to go to a big outdoor event to see staff looking miserable, do they?

Flexible people

Part time outdoor events jobs are ideal for those of you who are looking to work flexible hours. Obviously, many outdoor events in the UK are going to be taking place throughout the warmer summer months so you could be working more hours then but other types of events – sporting occasions, for example – take place throughout the year.

Whoever you are working for, your work could be at the same venue or you could be working at different venues around the United Kingdom. Hours and duration of your work will vary, depending on the type of event you are working at.

As well as being flexible with working hours, part time jobs at outdoor events could mean you have to be flexible with the type of atmosphere you are working in. The atmosphere at a corporate business event is going to be very different to that at a rock concert, for example. You could be doing outdoor jobs at these types of occasions. One thing is for certain; you are never going to be bored in this type of work!

People who enjoy being part of a team

Think about how many people are involved in the organisation, set up and running of an event. Outdoor events jobs, even on a flexible part time basis, mean you will be a part of that huge team. Within that, you will also be working closely with others in your immediate team to get particular jobs done.

People who can work under their own initiative

And at other times, part time outdoor events jobs will require you to make an on the spot decision for yourself and act upon that. As a cleaner, for example, a spillage might need to cordon off an area quickly for people’s safety. As security staff, you might need to perform some emergency first aid until medical staff arrive.

Where Do Part Time Events Staff Work?

One of the fun and exciting aspects to part time events jobs is that you could be working at a whole variety of venues and, within that venue, the types of events you could be helping to run are numerous. Outdoor events jobs can also mean that you are the envy of your friends and family. Well, if you think about it, you could be working at an event where the tickets sold out in a matter of hours. Not only do you get to be there, depending on your role, you could have pride of place and you are earning money at the same time! Great stuff, eh. Let’s take a look at where you could be working:

• Outdoor events jobs at music festivals – Spring and summer in the UK is the time for music festivals. Music festivals are often held in rural locations on farms (such as Glastonbury) or public space where the area suddenly transforms into a temporary tent city. People who staff these events often stay in tents, too, so if camping is your thing, you’re going to love this type of work.

• Flower shows and garden festivals – If colour and garden design is your thing, you could do any of the outdoor events jobs listed above and have all these beautiful garden designs as your work space backdrop. Incidentally, gardening jobs could also be possible at events like this.
• The grounds of country houses – The grounds of country houses host outdoor events such as music events, corporate events, charity events, garden parties, weddings and school leavers’ balls.
• Sports venues – Part time outdoor events jobs at sports venues could mean you get regular work on occasions such as match day. You could be a steward, for example, working at some of the top football or rugby clubs. Other types of sporting venue where part time outdoor events jobs often crop up are race courses, cricket grounds and golf clubs. And it’s not just work when there is a sports meet taking place. These types of venues also host weddings and outdoor exhibitions and, for bigger sporting venues, pop and rock concerts.

Obviously, these are just a few ideas of where you could find yourself working when doing part time outdoor events jobs. There is huge scope for where you could work doing these types of roles and, chances are, there is somewhere local to you where you could do part time work.

What Are The Entry Requirements And Future Progression For People Who Do Part Time Outdoor Events Jobs?

As we said above, the beauty of part time work in outdoor events is there is lots of scope for those of you looking for entry level work where flexible hours are available. But we also like to stress at UK Part Time Jobs that part time work can be whatever you want it to be. It can be few hours here and there, just to earn a bit of extra cash. It can be your stepping stone of dipping your toes back into the world of work after taking time out due to illness or starting a family.

But part time jobs can also be a career and, if you want to progress in outdoor events jobs then there is no need to feel stuck in your entry level role. You could move on to become a team leader in your particular field or, if you love everything about the whole events set up, why not move into being an events coordinator or organiser. This could be general events or you could even specialise, becoming a wedding planner, for example.

So, what are you waiting for? If you are interested in part time outdoor events jobs or other outdoor work, take a look at the current vacancies being advertised to see if there is anything to suit you. Good luck!