Once we were known as a nation of shopkeepers, but now it seems we have aspirations to be a nation of event organisers! According to a survey released by Birmingham Midshires, events are moving up not just the marketing agenda and are now our fifth most coveted job.

One theory is that this is driven by the internet creating the need for businesses and social groups to engage more. The sheer variety of events from exhibitions to festivals and from conferences to corporate hospitality is creating not just an interest, but also a desire among the working population to get involved, face-to-face.

The survey was carried out by YouGov as part of Birmingham Midshires’ Not So Average Joe campaign, which champions the needs of people with non-traditional lifestyles, and questioned 2,000 people about what their dream job would be.

Overall, it seems we British still dream of the acclaim associated with being authors and sports stars; while the sky’s the limit for others who want to be pilots and astronauts. But perhaps the most accessible occupation in the top five list is event organiser; which is the ranked second most coveted job for women.

Sadly, it appears the childhood ambitions of becoming train drivers and fire fighters, which have fallen distinctly out of favour. Almost none of the people polled said that either of these occupations would be their dream job.

Group chief executive of the Events Industry Alliance, Trevor Foley said of the poll: “Organising events is a cross between real business and showbiz, so I’m not surprised with the YouGov findings. It’s a role that can take you around the world, into all sorts of industry sectors and it’s the most attainable of all the jobs mentioned. From zero in just five years there are now 56 Universities in the UK where it is possible to study event management, the first post-grads gained their MAs in the summer and there’s an A-Level course planned for September 2008.”

Top Ten Dream Jobs

1. Author
2. Sports personality
3. Pilot
4. Astronaut
5. Event Organiser
6. TV presenter
7. Singer / Popstar
8. Pub landlord/lady
9. Actor
10. Prime Minister