ArtsReady Trainee Finding Winning Confidence
Natalya Gauci had no idea what was happening when she was called into a meeting room at the City of Sydney Council under the pretence of helping with an ArtsReady alumni story. What unfolded instead was a moment she’ll never forget. Surrounded by members of the AFL SportsReady/ArtsReady team and her Council colleagues, including her supervisor, Sarah Hotchin. Natalya was announced as the 2025 National recipient of the Ready Foundation Growth Award: Resilience & Growth.
The Ready Foundation Growth Award celebrates a trainee who has shown remarkable perseverance, personal growth and the ability to overcome challenges in the workplace.
I was a little confused at first. I knew I’d been nominated, but I hadn’t heard anything, so I didn’t really know what was happening. But I was excited. All my hard work paid off.
Natalya’s journey into the workforce began when university didn’t feel like the right fit.
I didn’t want to study full-time for four years. With uni, you still have to do your work placement,
so I figured, why not just work full-time and get paid while I learn on the job?
Her mum was the one who spotted the Events Assistant traineeship opportunity for major events and festivals. When Natalya saw it was with the City of Sydney’s Major Events team, she jumped at the chance.
I’d never been to New Year’s Eve in the city before. Growing up out west, we didn’t really venture in. It was a whole different experience, working in a large team like that. I was fresh out of school and this felt like the right step.
The first day was daunting. I was so stressed trying to get there. I’d never caught the train by myself into the city before my mum even came with me to the interview! I remember wondering if she needed to come on my first day too (because I was under 18)!
But those nerves didn’t last. Natalya quickly found her feet and embraced the learning curve, especially when it came to navigating the many systems and tools used by the City of Sydney.
I came from using Apple at school. I didn’t even know how to use Outlook or Microsoft Excel properly and there were so many acronyms flying around. People would be like, ‘SLF’ or ‘MAJEV’ and I had no idea what they were saying.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed, Natalya helped turn those challenges into improvements for the team.
Team Photo: Eri, Natalya and Sarah
She worked with her colleague Eri to create guides for acronyms and folder systems tools that now help onboard new staff.
We just wanted to make it easier for the next new person.
Support came from all directions.
Sarah, my supervisor, was always someone I could go to even when I was working across different teams or projects like New Year’s Eve and Eri sat next to me and worked with me closely.
She also leaned on fellow Trainee Ash, who helped her navigate the juggle between study and work and shared the same long commute from Penrith.
Natalya’s skills and confidence grew steadily across her two years and by the time she was leading the transfers and accommodation coordination for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve event. One of the biggest nights of the year, she’d become someone her team could count on.
That was a huge responsibility, It’s easy to forget how important it is to make sure casual staff can get home safely after their shifts. That job role didn’t even exist before and now it does.
Sarah shared that the turning point for her came when she could confidently hand over recruitment admin and interview coordination to Natalya.
It was the moment I realised I could give her something and she’d run with it. She understood the systems and the way our team worked and that confidence showed.
After completing her traineeship, Natalya is taking on a new role as an Events and Admin Assistant, focusing on supporting events at Jubilee Oval.
They were really impressed in the interview when I mentioned the systems I’d worked with especially because councils have such consistent processes. It really gave me a solid grounding.
Reflecting on her training, Natalya said her studies in business and project management helped shape her pathway. The flexibility and support she received from AFL SportsReady/ArtsReady, especially during busy event seasons, enabled her to balance both work and education.
When I needed extensions or couldn’t make a class, they were always understanding, I could always find another way to stay on track.
When asked what she’d say to someone considering a traineeship, Natalya didn’t hesitate.
Definitely go for it. My sister’s doing uni at the moment and it just looks so hard juggling work and study. A traineeship gives you real experience, you get paid and it sets you up for what comes next. It’s the only reason I got the new job I’m in now.
For Natalya, the experience has been more than just a job.
It’s been about finding her confidence, adjusting to city life and stepping into her own.
I used to be nervous speaking in meetings. Now I can talk in rooms full of people. I’ve just grown so much.
From the young Trainee who wasn’t sure if her mum needed to walk her into her first day to the award-winning team member managing large-scale logistics, Natalya has shown what resilience and growth really look like.
Our team is stronger and more resilient for having an all-rounder like Natalya be able to jump in and help out wherever needed. – Supervisor Sarah
All AFL SportsReady graduates are welcome to become members of our exclusive alumni.
TELL US YOUR STORY
If you’d like to reflect on your experience as a Trainee, please complete the questionnaire at this link.
