The seven perks of being an Event Masters trainee
Before we even realised it, we were in our final semester of our final year at the Thomas More University in Mechelen. The only step still to be taken was in gaining practical experience with an internship of our own choosing. Four students from Thomas More University, we were given the opportunity to pursue traineeships in various departments at Event Masters. Jerstie went to the Incentives department, Julie to PCO, Nick to Teambuilding and Sander to Tailor-made. As you would expect, we learned plenty and had some phenomenal experiences. However, we want to tell you about what you may not have expected: the different perks of following a traineeship at Event Masters!
Playing with the workhouse: “Working 9 to 5“
Working in the event sector most certainly doesn’t mean following a fixed 9-to-5 work regime. At Event Masters, you choose your own hours. After completing an entire school career with regular hours of 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., this was incredibly liberating for us as trainees. And for a reason: it means you arrange your own schedule—taking deadlines into account—and make the most of your free time. You learn to set your own pace for working and in doing so, you soon learn to stand on your own two legs.
Is it better to lunch together than alone?
Lunch at Event Masters is a pleasant gathering. There is one large table in the kitchen where everyone has lunch together. We all stopped working at pretty much the same time, so everyone could share the latest news, anecdotes and jokes with each other. Fun guaranteed!
Champi fridaaayzzz!
It’s 4.55 p.m. on Friday afternoon and you can’t help feeling that there’s something in the air … The computers are being turned off, the papers cleaned up and somewhere in the distance, you hear the popping of a cork: it’s champers time! Every Friday, we close the successful week with a glass of bubbly and put on our weekend smiles. It’s the ideal moment for trainees to have a chat with colleagues. Ask yourself: what other trainees finish the working week this way?
Hip, hip, hooray! There’s (another) birthday to celebrate!
Every birthday is noted in the shared company agenda. No excuses for forgetting a birthday! And of course, every birthday needs to be properly observed with a special treat. This is where everyone puts the best of their creativity to work. You can already guess that with a team as big as at Event Masters, the treats keep coming. We aren’t going to say whether the extra weight is a perk …
Being social at your desk
Everyone has their own desk within the walls of Event Masters, but we most certainly don’t sit alone. The desks are put together in little islands so that you still have social contact with your colleagues. This way, we can quickly fire questions—and answers—back and forth.
Weekly team meetings with sandwiches
There is a team meeting organised every Monday, at which general information is announced first, with individual responsibilities for the completed or approaching projects next on the menu. This keeps everyone informed of what everyone else is doing and allows us to pass on information to each other as needed. Of course, we close off this cosy little chat with a sandwich.
The connection with other trainees
As a beginning trainee, you might find it a little daunting to find yourself in an unknown company, but at Event Masters, you’re not the only trainee walking through the doors. As trainees, we found this to be a positive experience; we could turn to each other and help each other whenever needed. We took our first steps into the working world together. We also did a few small ‘trainee assignments’ that made sure we really put our heads together to think along the same paths and exchange ideas, creating genuine connections with each other.
There’s no doubting it: we were fortunate to have landed at a professional and close company like Event Masters for our traineeships. We didn’t feel like trainees, but full members of the Event Masters team. On our first day, we wandered about as uncertain students, but when we were waving goodbye after our traineeships had finished, we moved about like experienced professionals who were set for the future. We would therefore like to conclude with a much deserved ‘THANK YOU’ to the entire Event Masters team!
Written by: Jerstie, Julie, Nick en Sander