“Being thrown in the deep is the best way to learn"
Event Manager associate at Macromedia
1. Why did you decide to do this apprenticeship in Germany?
When I moved to Germany, I was unsure about which career path I wanted to follow but I knew that I wanted to stay in Germany for a while. After two years, I decided for an apprenticeship in events management as I was interested in gaining work experience while studying. When I completed the apprenticeship, I was able to work in different sectors in Germany and gain experience with different organizations abroad. To build on this existing qualification, I am currently doing my certificates in project management and Agile project management funded by the German Federal Agency for Employment.
2. How did you prepare yourself and how did the application process go?
My apprenticeship was offered by a private institution, meaning I had to finance the training myself. I applied for state funding offered to students in Germany. Before applying to the institution, I had to get my certificates recognized to determine what kind of qualifications I had. After this I applied to the institution by submitting my qualifications, CV and motivation letter.
3. What personal and professional requirements do you think are important for this occupation?
Events management is very service orientated and involves coordination of various elements. Since most of the income is made primarily through food and beverage you must be also interested in certain aspects of the hospitality industry. You must be flexible and a problem solver. Being a team player is also a must.
4. What do you learn at the private institution and what do you learn at the company?
The subjects ranged from language courses, event organization, administration as well as finance and project management. Here we learnt about the various processes that are associated with organizing and planning an event. I was surprised how many approvals one needs to host an event and all the health and safety requirements that need to be met. When I started with my internship, I was able to experience first-hand the various types of events that exists. At the company I was able to assist in preparing invitations to tender, obtain quotations as well as assess information provided by our suppliers. This was the time when I learnt how to manage my time effectively.
5. What advice do you have for South Africans who are interested in an apprenticeship?
Before you choose an apprenticeship, make sure you know your strengths and weaknesses as this will point you in the right direction. Find an apprenticeship that you feel best resonates and speaks to who you are and where you see yourself in the future. Also do thorough research as there is so much on offer. Examining potential career prospects that might be offered after the apprenticeship will give you an opportunity to see what you can do with your qualification. Make sure you use your failures as a lesson to learn and ask as much as you can!
6. What tasks were you responsible for at the events company?
One of the projects I did at the company, together with the other interns, was set up a night market in our city. This involved liaising with the venue, coordinating with potential sellers and distribution of marketing material. This was a valuable learning experience for us because we learnt how we could better fulfill the requests of the clients and how we could offer the visitors a better shopping experience.
7. Which tasks did you enjoy the most and why?
I enjoyed bringing events to life, especially having worked at a trendy location that is well known in Stuttgart. It is very rewarding to see a written concept come to life. Now I feel my experience in events management is very helpful for the project management and agile project management courses that I am currently doing.
8. And after the training? What are your career goals?
Now I would like to finish my Agile Project management certificates and work as a scrum master for a well-known organization.
This interview was conducted by Sinenhlanhla Buthelezi. We are lucky to have Buthelezi in the media development department of the Deutsche Welle Academy.
