JAMES Cook University business students Brittany Fell and Rachel Day have been thrown head-first into the goings-on at a professional sporting club with internships at the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys.
The young women, who are nearing the end of their degrees, are part of the National Rugby League Business Academy, which is aimed to develop talented students who are passionate about a career in sport, and give them the opportunity to become future leaders within NRL clubs and the NRL.
As part of their involvement in the academy, the pair have been completing six-month internships with the Cowboys in the membership team as part of a partnership between the club and JCU.
Learning the ropes of this important part of the club, the pair hope to have careers in sporting organisations and see the value of a program like the NRL Business Academy.
Brittany hopes to secure two days a week paid employment at the Cowboys following the completion of her internship.
“We’ve been learning all aspects of the membership office – processing memberships, that sort of thing – and ideally I’d love to have a career in the NRL,” Brittany said.
“This internship has been fantastic in helping us getting a foot in the door, and in terms of networking for down the track in our future careers, it’s invaluable. Also it gives us a different perspective from a large-scale club,” she said.
Rachel said she has appreciated a practical insight into the background of business.
“This has been a really good experience for me because I’ve always supported the NRL and it’s something I’ve always been interested in,” she said.
“I’m definitely enjoying learning about the NRL and how it all works. Plus I love the Cowboys.”
