Garth Prowd
Employer, USM Events
Scores of USC students have gained world-class experience—and even full-time jobs—as a result of work experience at one of Australia’s largest event management companies, USM Events.
Managing Director Garth Prowd has been offering work experience to USC students every semester for most of the last decade—and has ended up hiring some students as full-time staff.
With offices in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, USM Events manages more than 50 sporting, music and entertainment events each year, attracting more than 120,000 competitors and participants. Job opportunities can be found in a range of areas, including marketing and PR, communication and IT.
“It’s rewarding for us to see people go through that (work experience) process and end up getting jobs with us,” Garth says.
“Some have gone from uni to work experience with us, then gone on to even bigger and better things.
“We have offices spread across Australia… so we can give them experience in all kinds of events, from entertainment to sporting to cultural events.”
Garth says the best way to find out if you like a job is to do it.
“In our particular industry there seems to be a feeling that it’s a glamorous sort of industry to be in, but it is very hard work, very long hours and can be stressful, but it’s also very, very rewarding, and they (the students) find that out,” he says.
Employee Katie Reid got her start at USM Events after doing work experience with the company while studying a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at USC. She is now the Sponsorship and Marketing Assistant.
“I wouldn’t have gotten the job if it wasn’t for the work experience through USC,” she says.
“The work experience allowed me to make contacts within the event industry and show my work ethic.”
Katie has so far been involved with a range of events, including the Noosa Festival of Surfing and Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival.
“My job is diverse and it’s extremely rewarding seeing a project that you work on for months come together for the general public to enjoy,” she says.