After finishing high school I wasn’t quite sure which career path I wanted to take, so I decided to enrol in a degree that covered a broad range of areas so that when I was finished I’d have plenty of career options. I chose a Bachelor of Business and Tourism Management with a sub major in marketing.
Whilst I was at uni, I worked part-time in a Sydney law firm in their human resources department. This gave me great experience and a good introduction to the corporate world, which most of my uni friends weren’t as fortunate to have as they were all working in restaurants and bars.
Throughout my studies I toyed with the possibility of pursuing a career in HR, however I realised that tourism marketing was where my passion lay, and in 2005 I graduated with the Dean’s medal for excellence in these areas.
I then applied for a few marketing and tourism roles, and eventually accepted a role at the Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) as an account coordinator.
I have now been with the SCVB for two years and have just been promoted to account executive. My role primarily involves working with leaders in their field to bid for international business events to come to Sydney. Our entire sales team works closely together to research and develop opportunities for Sydney to bid for an event, which then comes together in our bid management team (where I sit), who put together the bid strategy and Sydney’s submission to the decision makers.
The best part about my role is the fact that I get to meet so many amazing people from so many different countries and industries including leading professors, scientists and doctors, many of whom I would never have met if not in this job. And if I’m lucky, I get to host many of these people on site inspections of our fabulous city which is always a treat and hardly feels like work sometimes!
It’s also incredibly rewarding when we win a bid. Knowing that I played a part in bringing an international conference to Sydney is definitely satisfying and is always celebrated in our office!
It can get a bit hectic at times here at the SCVB as we are always working on so many different bids at any given time, but I am fortunate to work with a great team of supportive people who have a wealth of knowledge about this industry.
When I’m not working, I like to let out my creative side by making my own jewellery which I sell at local markets. It’s nice to have an interest that is so far removed from my day to day job. It helps to clear my head at the end of a long day! I also love to go shopping and catch up with friends over coffee or a drink.
Supervisor’s Comment:
Lauren has a passion for Sydney, for our clients and for her work. This shines through in all her projects and over the past two years she has developed a strong understanding of the business events industry. She is well respected by our clients, the whole SCVB team and our members. Lauren is always well prepared, mature and professional - she has actually taught me how to keep calm during very busy times! And the best part is that she always has a smile to offer!
- Virginia Loyola, senior account manager
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