My First Week at AFL SportsReady!

My First Week at AFL SportsReady!

My First Week at AFL SportsReady!

My name is Eliza and I have recently commenced my first week as the new Social Media trainee at AFL SportsReady. This blog is going to document my first-hand experience as a trainee at AFL SportsReady and will hopefully provide insight for any reader who is considering being a part of the program.

What encouraged me to apply for this role, was that I was approaching my final year of my Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne and graduation. Which I was dreading, due to career anxiety and the burnout I felt from completing 5 semesters of my degree during a pandemic.

Taking on a traineeship made sense to me, as it gave me the change of scenery and practical experience I was looking for. I am excited to utilise the next year to gain some industry experience and to expand on my skillset.

The process of induction was definitely overwhelming, to begin with, due to the sheer volume of information I absorbed over a few days. However, these feelings began to diminish with every step of my induction that I completed. It gave me a great insight into what I could expect to be doing over the next year and the multiple resources/support networks that would be available to me. I was also given the opportunity towards the end of the process to spend some time consolidating all of the information, that I had been given over the week. Having completed my induction, I was able to easily transition into the first week of my new role.

From the very outset, I was made to feel extremely welcome and was treated like a valuable member of the team. When I met the marketing team and my host supervisor Marissa, I knew I was in really great hands.

During my first week, I had so many new experiences, including sitting in on meetings, collaborating on content, using graphic design and video programs, updating spreadsheets and learning how to read social media analytics. Another new experience was going into the office for the first time. It was so surreal meeting everyone who was in that day, it really put into perspective how many employees there are and the spectrum of different roles at AFL SportsReady.

Learning to navigate the AFL SportsReady social media platforms was definitely something I found very daunting in the beginning. But with many hours of workshopping with Marissa (who was extremely patient with me and gave me great instruction), I started to get the hang of it. I have especially enjoyed learning how to use the programs Canva and Vimeo. This has enabled me to make original and engaging content, that can be posted on the company’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

I am really looking forward to being surrounded by a team who all have years of industry experience, for the next year. It is not often that you get a chance at jumping headfirst into an industry and fully immersing yourself. I have already learnt so much in my first few weeks at AFL SportsReady and I can’t wait to see how much changes in the next year.


Check out other stories from my Journey!

My First Week at AFL SportsReady!

Connection, Culture & Learning New Skills

Reaching the halfway point of her traineeship

Trainee’s Journey Leads to Self-Confidence

Eliza’s Traineeship: A Year of Industry Insights


AFL SportsReady began a journey of providing quality job opportunities and launching the careers of thousands of young Australians. Come and join Trainees like Eliza who have already taken advantage of the diverse and thrilling opportunities. Kickstart your career with us today!

Filling out our expression of interest form can be a useful step if you are unable to find a specific job opening. This can help us identify candidates for future opportunities and reach out to you if a relevant opportunity becomes available.


IMAGE: Eliza (top) with her host supervisor Marissa at one of their regular virtual meetings.

This series includes current and former trainees demonstrating the benefits of the traineeship program, and how this pathway allows them to follow their passions.

This article is part of our partnership with the National Careers Institute (NCI) to highlight the real benefits of Vocational Education and Training (VET)