Hill’s climb to the top
It’s not uncommon that we come across a trainee who has exceeded expectations and reached career goals of great magnitude. Former South Australian trainee Daniel Hill has climbed his way up the corporate ladder, from trainee to IT assistant at the Port Adelaide and St Kilda Football Clubs, to leading an entire IT department in Real Estate.
With a bit of help from AFL SportsReady Daniel went from completing year 12 studies with no real career direction, to full time employment becoming a leader in his workplace.
“I came across the AFL SportsReady traineeship program just after finishing school. There was a job going at Port Adelaide Football Club in merchandising and although the retail side didn’t attract me the football club part did, so I went for it!”
In 2007 Daniel finished his traineeship and Certificate III in Sport and Recreation. On the first day of his traineeship he hit it off with his manager Chris whom himself had just completed his AFL traineeship program and to this day they have remained close mates, another bonus in Daniel’s journey.
“People might think the traineeship just gives you a career pathway and a solid education but there’s a lot more to it. I met the most genuine and kindest people along the way and like my manager Chris we have and will always remain life-long friends.”
Although Daniel valued his traineeship and loved working at the football cub, his passion was in IT. He dedicated himself to coding football vision, analysing football/opposition trends and reviewing team structures on game day to forge a career in football operations.
“After the traineeship I moved into the role of IT assistant and game day analyst at the Port Adelaide Football Club where I spent the next two years of my career.”
Daniel was then offered his dream job in Melbourne, to manage the Football technology and analytics at St Kilda Football Club.
“You could say I was living the dream! This role was my dream job and I spent an incredible two years of my life doing it!”
St Kilda football club was keen for Daniel to extend his contract however with his partner back in Adelaide he was keen to go back where his friends and family were and find a new career path on home soil.
Daniel is now working as head of IT at Harris Real Estate and even though he may have stepped out of footy he is still as passionate about the game as ever and enjoys the real estate industry as a different challenge in his career.
On the side he now also works at the Hawthorn Football Club from Adelaide as Opposition Coding Assistant where he was able to experience working for a club at the top of the AFL, playing a small role in the 2014 AFL premiership win.
“Don’t just look at your qualification as a certificate, it’s so much more! It’s also an experience and by doing a traineeship with AFL SportsReady I have gone from starting in retail to working my way to the top of an IT department in an AFL club.”
“It’s not just a one year job, it’s the key to achieve your career dreams.”
DATE: 5 June 2015
ARTICLE: Marissa Pagliarello
IMAGE: Daniel Hill
