Melissa (Mils) Gray
Melissa (Mils) Gray
Grad Programme 2023 - 2024
Kia ora, I’m Mils!
Born and raised in Otago – sport, active recreation and exploring the outdoors has always played a big part in my life and this is something I have always been extremely grateful for. My schooling years welcomed the privilege of an array of different sporting opportunities, both competitive and social, in which the lessons learnt and friendships developed were irreplaceable. After leaving school, I knew I wanted a career in the PARS sector and in 2021, I completed a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation Management, majoring in Event Management at Lincoln University.
What attracted me to the Sport NZ Graduate programme was the vast agency of opportunities it presented for both professional and personal development. The grad programme allows you to grow and develop through a variety of support and lead roles within projects across the organisation.
I am currently in my second year on the graduate programme on my first placement at the Crusaders/Matatu. I am working predominantly in the marketing and events space while getting a good understanding of the commercial and high performance landscapes of sport. Following this, I will be heading down to Wanaka to join Snow Sports NZ for my second placement.
I would highly recommend applying for the Sport NZ Graduate programme regardless of your studies. This is a perfect opportunity to develop the foundations for a career in the Play, Active Recreation and Sport sector.