Trainee Shines in Record Breaking Team
On the back of a record breaking year, with the Brisbane Lions achieving a 15% surge in membership to a historic 63,268 members, we caught up with Charlotte Byron, a Membership Trainee at the club.
The Lions, gearing up for their sixth consecutive Finals campaign, have seen unwavering support from their growing fan base, Charlotte has been working hard to keep it all running smoothly.
I wasn’t a big fan of footy before I started this role.
My dad is a huge AFL fan, and he saw the Brisbane Lions Traineeship being advertised. He told me, ‘Just do it!’
With that nudge from her dad, and the opportunity to get her foot in the door of a thriving industry, Charlotte applied. She has found since this decision, she has been presented with a series of positive experiences.
After completing Year 12 and working part-time, Charlotte was accepted into university to study Psychology and Law.
But decided to defer for a year when she was accepted into the traineeship.
Now, after almost a full season, she’s not so sure university is still her next step.
I’m just going with the flow right now. I’ll probably stay on as a casual in the memberships team after my traineeship finishes.
Charlotte has found herself immersed in the fast-paced world of AFL, and the learning curve has been steep, especially during Finals season.
Working in memberships during Finals has been crazy! You really get to see how much goes on behind the scenes—seating, ticketing—it’s full-on, especially this week with all the Grand Final anticipation.
Part of her role includes managing voicemails, and after the Lions’ recent big win, the influx of messages was overwhelming.
The energy is incredible. It’s such a cool experience to be part of something that brings so many people together.
For Charlotte, the traineeship has been a perfect transition from school life.
Coming straight out of school, a traineeship is the best option.
It kept me in a routine similar to school and the workload is really manageable. You’re not just sitting at a desk all day—it’s full of energy.
She’s also been surprised by how much room there is for growth within the club.
A lot of jobs in this industry, at least from what I’ve seen, require experience and memberships seem to be the way in. We’ve got at least three current staff members who started as casuals in memberships and have now transitioned into full-time roles in different departments.
Networking has been another huge benefit of her role, attending events like the Women in Sport Summit.
I’m one of the youngest staff members here, so it’s great to be surrounded by people with so much industry experience and hear their stories.
Charlotte has one piece of advice for anyone considering a role in memberships at a big club:
Be ready to learn quickly!
The biggest benefit is getting to know and love AFL.
You’re at all the games, surrounded by the atmosphere, and it’s such a great way to start your career.
As for her future, Charlotte is still figuring things out. But for right now, she’s enjoying every moment of her traineeship and embracing the chance to work in an engaging environment.
A traineeship is a great option if you don’t know what you want to do after school. You’re not just getting experience in the AFL industry, you’re learning customer service, administration and life skills that are applicable anywhere.
With the Lions roaring into another Finals campaign, Charlotte Byron is right with them. A part of the team behind the team, making sure the club’s record-breaking membership numbers keep growing.
With over 29 years of experience providing quality job opportunities and launching the careers of thousands of young Australians. AFL SportsReady offers diverse and thrilling opportunities that could take your career to the next level.
So why wait? Kickstart your career today by exploring available Traineeships. If you’re interested in sports management, business administration or any number of other fields. There’s sure to be a role that fits your skills and interests.
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