Pictured, from left: Nicolas Enrique Blandon Gonzalez, Tom Elliott and Quinn Shannon.
To keep kicking goals, Football Victoria (FV) recognises the importance of nurturing the next generation. The organisation has opened its doors to motivated students eager to gain practical experience and make meaningful contributions. The benefits of this partnership have been felt across several areas, with students coming from a variety of academic backgrounds – including Law, Accounting and Commerce – helping FV to stay agile and forward-thinking in a fast-paced sector.
One of the most significant advantages of having La Trobe students on board is the infusion of new ideas. Students often bring with them the latest academic knowledge and trends in their chosen area of study, offering innovative approaches to longstanding processes.
“Having a student placed with us has improved the quality of service we provide to our customers and also given us the opportunity to develop new working practices,” says Tom Elliott, Grievance, Disciplinary & Tribunal Manager, FV.
“I was in the Legal and Integrity Team at FV, mainly focusing on Grievances, Disciplinary & Tribunals. The work I undertook in this placement explored the application of legal principles and skills, in non-traditional legal settings. In conducting investigations and tribunals, a strong focus (was) on procedural fairness, and ensuring a fair outcome for all parties involved.
“(My) experience was particularly useful to explore an area of law which is hard to study – sports law,” says Quinn Shannon, Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) student.
Reflecting on his own experience, Nicolas Enrique Blandon Gonzalez, a Juris Doctor student, says “(my) placement has taught me how to weight evidence successfully and analyse complex matters in order to give an appropriate outcome and make football fair.”
Equally important to student development is the support students can provide in various key areas of FV operations. From grassroots development programs to high-performance initiatives, FV operates across a broad spectrum. By placing students in different departments, the organisation increases its capacity.
Andrew Goon, Finance Manager, FV, supervised Ethan Michael, Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). “As a leading NFP organisation, FV wanted to assist and have an input in the development of the next generation of a growing workforce,” says Andrew.
He maintains that the placement allowed staff to develop in their current roles, provided an additional pair of hands for activations and added to the organisation’s great culture.
From Ethan’s perspective, the most valuable aspect of his placement within the finance department was the opportunity to put accounting theory into practice with real-life scenarios and experience.
“I got the opportunity to use various accounting platforms and software which has helped me get prepared for employment.”
Football Victoria’s student placement program with La Trobe is a prime example of the power of educational partnerships. Placements foster innovation, increase organisational capacity, and prepare students for careers in the sports sector. As FV continues to refine its approach and engage with new students, the benefits of this collaboration will only grow, creating a cycle of continuous improvement and mutual support.
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If you are a member of industry and interested in La Trobe’s student industry placement program, connect with La Trobe Talent.
La Trobe Talent will support your business throughout, from creating a placement description to promoting it to students and finalising the agreement.
Contact La Trobe Talent at latrobetalent@latrobe.edu.au
For general industry engagement enquiries, please reach out to industry.engagement@latrobe.edu.au
