We definitely chose the right career

I was very nervous about heading into the ‘real’ world as an intern at Corporate Sports Australia. But I soon found that I couldn’t have scored a better placement.

Great people, great events and great experience!

The events I'm covering at my time at Corporate Sports are the Bupa Bike Hike for Asthma - WA’s largest cycling event (which involves shutting down the Kwinana Freeway for half the day), and the Perth Garden Festival, a four day festival previously known as Garden Week.

What has surprised me about my internship is that I actually get to do proper PR activities that we have been learning how to do at uni and not just the general office duties that I expected to be doing as an intern – like printing, enveloping letters, etc. 

I have been assigned with a lot of writing tasks – which, as well as design, I absolutely love because it's what I feel confident in doing, as well as enjoying to do it.

Some of the tasks I have done so far are:

• Write a press release/blog post on the transport arrangements for the Bupa Bike Hike for Asthma.
• Create content for the event websites.
• Write the content of the Perth Garden Festival email newsletter.
• Write a press release announcing the appearance of Peppa Pig at the Perth Garden Festival.
• Write four press releases announcing the Chevron City to Surf for Activ is back for 2014 in Busselton, Karratha, Albany and Geraldton.
• Create the content for the Perth Garden Festival program.
• Write human interest press releases for the Bupa Bike Hike for Asthma.

What I learnt

1. The biggest thing I have learned about the PR profession in the first days of the internship is that it is not just strictly PR that you’re doing, but a big marketing mix! It all intertwines. You are doing anything is takes to make your event a success.
2. One of the skills that you can’t prepare for is breezing between the different events you are working on with ease. I found it tricky to constantly switch between the two events but I have finally picked it up with practice!
3. A lot of people will say after their experiences in the PR work place is that PR is not glamorous and it's all a myth. With this frame of mind going into my internship I was still very blown away at the happenings around the office (e.g. filming a commercial at Channel 9 studios and amazing staff lunches at the 1907 Bar and Restaurant).

From what I have experienced so far I feel like I have ventured into the right career. It's fast paced, interesting, fun and no two days are the same.

If I can leave any advice for people yet to start their internship it would be not to worry about whether your PR skills are adequate enough, because everything you have learnt at Curtin prepares you for this – you’d be surprised how easily it comes to you.



Steph  

Stephanie Price
Events Assistant
Corporate Sports Australia