How Caitlin Got Her Foot In the Door In An Industry She Loves
Like many young people today, Caitlin Read finished high school and was accepted into her dream course at Deakin University studying Sports Management, but wasn’t sold on jumping into full-time study.
“I stumbled across the traineeship at Melbourne Football Club and thought, why not! Who would have thought three years later I would be the HR Coordinator here.”
“Traineeships are the best way to get your foot in the door of the industry you want to work in. It’s important to remember that when you leave school, you don’t need to know what you want to do with your career. Experiment, change your mind and ultimately do something that is going to make you happy. I did and I’m way ahead of where I ever thought I would be at 21.”
From retail trainee to HR Coordinator at Melbourne Football Club, Caitlin’s traineeship allowed her to grow within the sporting industry and helped her to find her true passion, People and Culture.
“Being a retail trainee at Melbourne Football club was a life-changing experience,” she said.
“The club was really great in setting up a development plan for me to work across a range of different areas within the club. One area being People and Culture, and from this I found that HR was my calling,” she added.
As part of her traineeship, Caitlin studied a Certificate III and the following year she continued on and completed a Certificate IV in Business.
“The club was brilliant. I was given every opportunity to learn, grow and experience different areas, events and club activities.”
“The networks and relationships I built throughout my traineeship were invaluable and allowed me to build a strong personal brand across the whole club.”
During her traineeship, Caitlin took on a range of different tasks however her main focus was to coordinate the day-to-day operations of the retail area, in ‘The Demon Shop’.
“I also had a game day role working in the shop, serving the hundreds of people who come through, it was really fun being apart of game days and experiencing the excitement and build up.”
Caitlin continued to flourish in her role. She worked hard and immersed herself in every opportunity that came her way and through her experience she learnt a great deal about herself and where she wants to be.
“Coming to the end of my traineeship I was ready for the next challenge. Through this experience, I learned just how capable I am and that if I put my mind to it, I can achieve anything I want.”
“Three years later and thanks to my traineeship and Melbourne Football Club I am the HR Coordinator and I absolutely love it. I look after our recruitment, health and wellbeing and a range of other administrative tasks across the People and Culture function.”
“I have been given limitless opportunities to grow and build my career and I continue to learn every day.”
Caitlin is currently completing a Certificate IV in Human Recourses and plans to do her Diploma in HR.
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: 11th of February 2019
Image: Caitlin Read
Author: Marissa Pagliarello
