Lochlan kicks off a career in sport

"I graduated from university with a business management degree, majoring in marketing, which was good, and I enjoyed it, but didn't get into the sports industry."

"I've always been very keen on sports; my dream job would be working in business or marketing within the industry, but I didn’t pursue it and ended up working in real estate.”

"When I saw what the Broncos offered, which included being embedded with a sporting team, it was exactly what I wanted to do, so I jumped on the opportunity. The work experience side of it was huge for me."

Enrolling with the Brisbane Broncos Sport Business Institute, Lochlan studied both the Diploma of Sport and Diploma of Leadership and Management (SIS50321/BSB50420) at the club’s Red Hill headquarters.

Guided by experts from the industry, he's learning sport and management in a sporting context, with the support of the Brisbane Broncos, elite high-performance staff and players providing invaluable professional insights and experience.

"I'm learning a lot, and the masterclass sessions with people who run the commercial side of the club are real eye-openers. Understanding them, their work history and the role they play to keep the organisation running is invaluable."

Lochlan is already on the path towards his dream career, with the course requiring him to complete 100 hours of work-integrated learning, seeing him work in the club's membership team.

"I've been privileged to work in a casual membership role with the Broncos, which has been great this year because of the record number of members in the club."

"Just seeing what goes into the operational side, the tactics behind it and understanding the standard for customer service at one of Australia's biggest sporting brands. It's unbelievable, and everyone feels part of the club."

"I'm getting a lot of relevant work experience and understanding how vital members are to the organisation. I've also assisted in running the corporate lounge on match days and liaised with stadium staff to ensure guests had an unreal game day experience."

Despite coming into the course with a university degree and several years of work experience, Lochlan is developing relevant skills for a career in sports.

"My major focus for this course has been public speaking and presenting. There are always things to work on, and I enjoy improving that skill. I also practice leading teams and projects and love project management work."

"I thrive on working in a team and focusing on achieving something, getting it done, ticking the boxes and moving on to the next project. That's the biggest skill I'm learning at the moment. And I'm developing my leadership style by testing my skills in uncomfortable situations."

Also helping Lochlan are his teachers and classmates, who support and encourage him to succeed.

"Expo Mejia brings real-world experience in the sporting industry with a mix of education to the classroom, which was perfect for me. He's very good at helping you understand and reflect on yourself."

"He explains the coaching and education situations he's been in and describes the difficulties that can arise and how to navigate them. His industry connections mean he can get experts in as guest speakers to share their insights, which has been so beneficial for everyone and why the course has been so successful this year."

"My classmates are great too – we've gotten much closer throughout the year, and I'm learning in an environment where everyone loves sport. Everyone is here for the same reason, which has been good."

Since leaving his job in real estate to kick off his career in sport, Lochlan describes coming to the Brisbane Broncos Sport Business Institute as life-changing.

"When I sit back and think about what I've achieved in the past six months, from working in real estate to watching sport on the weekend, I am now working with the Broncos. It's been an unreal ride, and studying can change your life if you go about it correctly," concludes Lochlan.