Hey everyone,
So this is my second post, and for all of you that don't know I am currently completing my placement within the events department at Rottnest Island Authority (RIA).
I have now complete 4 days with RIA down at their Eshed offices in Fremantle. As I spoke about in my last post I was lucky enough to sit in on the formal Leavers 2011 meeting with all the relevant officials including the WA Police, and found this was a great first day for me to really gain a prominent insight into the communication procedures involved between the relevant stakeholders and organisers, plus also the successful issue management procedures that can be embodied from last year, and what needs to be altered. Furthermore meeting really showed me the importance of event evaluating.
Since my insightful visit to the island, I have been back in the offices performing those tasks some might define as tedious, yet necessary, and ones I'm sure all of you have/are being confronted with. The main task I have been in control of includes the contacting of clients, such as all engineering companies, that might be interested in the use of Rottnest Islands' conference and event facilities, and gaining the correct mail address to post out these information packages. In addition to this I have also learnt how to do a mail merge using a contact database, and also participated within tasks involving the launch of their new website, that has been experiencing several connection problems.
In saying this however, I am so grateful for having these opportunities to learn such tasks and responsibilities that have given me the confidence and boost that I needed, as I have never experience a real office type environment, and really provides the backbone for the more fancy functioning of events to occur.
Another task that has proven a world more exciting for me has been the work and control I have been given on the production of a small scale event, to be conducted under Rottnest's celebration of 100 years of tourism this year. As I am also doubling my major of PR with tourism management and event management, this opportunity has been perfect for me. Currently a great amount of research has been done regarding events that happened on, or affected the Island during 1911, and a lot of this research I have been able to participate within as 100 years ago at The Basin, on Rottnest, two men were saved by another man called Percy Bailey, who was then awarded a bronze medal of bravery by the Royale Humane Society of Australasia. In celebrating this achievement I have currently been working on the holding of a reunion for all the descendants that might not have been around if it wasn't for the rescue.
More specifically I have been involved within a depth research of these three men and their families, more unbelievable than you could image, at times making me feel like I am performing the job of a detector! Nevertheless I have currently been focused on formulating an official spreadsheet of invitees, as many long lost descendants as possible, whilst also the draft up and editing of the formal invite that will be sent out, advising everyone of the reunion that will occur on Sunday the 25th of September on the Island, that hopefully I will be able to attend!
Although there is a lot of dependence and waiting around for other people to get back to me with the required information, respond to emails etc, plus also a lot of time spent doing the research, being given the control and direction to steer this function almost all on my own has really given me a clear eye into the early production stages of an event, and the importance of liaising with stakeholders at all times.
Kayla Wilkie
14286535
Bentley Campus
So this is my second post, and for all of you that don't know I am currently completing my placement within the events department at Rottnest Island Authority (RIA).
I have now complete 4 days with RIA down at their Eshed offices in Fremantle. As I spoke about in my last post I was lucky enough to sit in on the formal Leavers 2011 meeting with all the relevant officials including the WA Police, and found this was a great first day for me to really gain a prominent insight into the communication procedures involved between the relevant stakeholders and organisers, plus also the successful issue management procedures that can be embodied from last year, and what needs to be altered. Furthermore meeting really showed me the importance of event evaluating.
Since my insightful visit to the island, I have been back in the offices performing those tasks some might define as tedious, yet necessary, and ones I'm sure all of you have/are being confronted with. The main task I have been in control of includes the contacting of clients, such as all engineering companies, that might be interested in the use of Rottnest Islands' conference and event facilities, and gaining the correct mail address to post out these information packages. In addition to this I have also learnt how to do a mail merge using a contact database, and also participated within tasks involving the launch of their new website, that has been experiencing several connection problems.
In saying this however, I am so grateful for having these opportunities to learn such tasks and responsibilities that have given me the confidence and boost that I needed, as I have never experience a real office type environment, and really provides the backbone for the more fancy functioning of events to occur.
Another task that has proven a world more exciting for me has been the work and control I have been given on the production of a small scale event, to be conducted under Rottnest's celebration of 100 years of tourism this year. As I am also doubling my major of PR with tourism management and event management, this opportunity has been perfect for me. Currently a great amount of research has been done regarding events that happened on, or affected the Island during 1911, and a lot of this research I have been able to participate within as 100 years ago at The Basin, on Rottnest, two men were saved by another man called Percy Bailey, who was then awarded a bronze medal of bravery by the Royale Humane Society of Australasia. In celebrating this achievement I have currently been working on the holding of a reunion for all the descendants that might not have been around if it wasn't for the rescue.
More specifically I have been involved within a depth research of these three men and their families, more unbelievable than you could image, at times making me feel like I am performing the job of a detector! Nevertheless I have currently been focused on formulating an official spreadsheet of invitees, as many long lost descendants as possible, whilst also the draft up and editing of the formal invite that will be sent out, advising everyone of the reunion that will occur on Sunday the 25th of September on the Island, that hopefully I will be able to attend!
Although there is a lot of dependence and waiting around for other people to get back to me with the required information, respond to emails etc, plus also a lot of time spent doing the research, being given the control and direction to steer this function almost all on my own has really given me a clear eye into the early production stages of an event, and the importance of liaising with stakeholders at all times.
Kayla Wilkie
14286535
Bentley Campus
4 comments:
That sounds like a really exiting opportunity.
In my placement I also had to do some tedious tasks but through them I was able to gain some valuable skills (such as mail merging) that I'm sure to use in the future.
Responsibility isn't always something to shy away from. It sounds like you have a great opportunity to learn so many different things and gain really valuable experience.
I'm sure you'll do great : )
Hi Kayla,
I read your first blog earlier as well as this one and your placement sounds fantastic! It's great to hear about the inner workings of Rottnest Island, a place I used to visit so often but yet know quite little about. It must be very interesting and insightful looking into the history of not only Rottnest Island but the history of Perth also!
As for the tedious and mundane tasks, your right that everyone has to endure them but it does make a big difference in the long run! All the clients that you are contacted could be useful for the future as well as learning the small IT tasks as well.
Good luck for the rest of your internship and I hope it gets more and more exciting for you! :-D
Hi Kayla,
Your placement sounds fantastic - what a great opportunity. It must be so interesting to be a part of the communications team and be able to sit in on meetings regarding one of the biggest (and most out of control) events of the year on the island.
Has your placement enabled you to do some good quality networking? Did you find inter-departmental liaison between the WA Police and RIA for example to be effective?
Hope you enjoyed the rest of your internship!
Jess
Good on ya Mate. Nice blog, been reading for a while now. Always loving the Roto channel swim!
Plan on going to stay at Rottnest Island Hotel Stay in Aug
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