AFL SportsReady graduate flies high at the Sydney Swans

Arnaleah Hunt always knew what she wanted to do when she finished high school…. get a gig at the Sydney Swans. Thanks to her AFL SportsReady traineeship her dreams became a reality and she is now working at her much loved club as their Senior Manager for Fan Community.

‘The AFL SportsReady traineeship helped me not only achieve my goal, but it also allowed me to gain some incredibly valuable experience in the industry at a young age which helped me to determine whether or not my dream and goals were where I aspired my career to go,’ said Arnaleah.

Arnaleah started her traineeship with the Sydney Swans in their Membership department in 2010 while she was 1 year into a 3-year Commerce degree.

‘It was the ideal opportunity to build my networks, my skills and experience in the sporting industry,’ she explained.

The traineeship allowed me to get my foot in the door in an industry I knew was notoriously difficult to get into.’

In her role, Arnnaleah learnt the ins and the outs of the industry. She also acquired a diverse range of skills including attention to detail, customer service and time management.

‘I learnt how to cultivate relationships, to ask important questions and to expose myself to different parts of the business in order to learn and grow.’

As part of her traineeship Arnaleah completed a Certificate IV in Business, a qualification she felt helped her become the sports administrator she is today.

‘I am so thankful for the educational component of the traineeship. Having had that exposure to the basics of working in an office and the different programs involved has helped put me ahead of where I otherwise might have been.’

 Upon completing her qualification and traineeship she was offered full-time employment with the Swans and was awarded the AFL NSW/ACT Trainee of the year.

‘I was honoured to work full-time at Sydney Swans. They even allowed me to go back to university to continue my degree (Bachelor of Business & Commerce – Sports Management) on a part-time basis.

‘My managers at the club encouraged me to keep going with my studies especially because they knew I had already started the journey.’

After two years at the Swans Arnaleah worked 5 seasons with the NRL to gain a broader knowledge of the sporting landscape and how other sports clubs worked. The Swans however remained her first love and Arnaleah returned to secure a senior management position responsible for Fan and Community.

‘It took hard work, commitment and a lot of support, encouragement and belief from the people around me both personally and professionally to get to where I am today.

However it was my traineeship that started it all and gave me the foundation from which to build my career. It gave me the opportunity to meet some incredible people who have helped me land each of my roles.

Personally, I know that when I am looking to recruit for a new role, I’ll always look favourably on a candidate who has completed an AFL SportsReady traineeship.’

To find out more about the diverse range of rewarding careers available through vocational education and training, and watch the real skills for real careers video, visit www.myskills.gov.au

#realskillsforrealcareers

DATE: 6th of June 2018

AUTHOR: Marissa Pagliarello

IMAGE: Arnaleah with a Swans fan