So far, we’ve chatted to just two of our 70+ past superhero apprentices, seeing what they thought of The Apprentice Program and how it helped them.
This week’s Apprentice Case Study superhero to be featured is…
(drum roll please)
Abbie Doyle, Summer 2011
Check out what she gained from The Apprentice Program to get an idea of the skills your interns could learn, as well!
What is your name?
Abbie Doyle
What did you love the most about The Apprentice Program?
I loved diving head first into the event planning industry and learning the ins and outs of weddings, social and corporate events. As an apprentice, I was always super involved in upcoming events, and my skills were put to good use, instead of being sentenced to busy work. I just adore everything to do with design and enjoyed being involved in the weekly blog post, “The Design Dish,” creating design inspiration mood boards for dreamed-up events.
What skills did you gain from The Apprentice Program?
I gained valuable experience creating budgets, timelines and production schedules. But most importantly, I honed my skills at remaining calm, cool and collected, no matter what! No bride wants to see her Event Planner freak out. Flowers melting off the wedding cake, because the baker left it in the sun? No problem! – In the bride’s eyes, it’s all peachy keen, because this undercover superhero has it all under control.
Did the The Apprentice Program unlock doors for your career and/or help you get a job?
Yes! In fact, I was hired on as an Event Planner with The Simplifiers and loved every second of it! I was super bummed when my hubby accepted a job in another town, and I had to forlornly depart ways with The Simplifiers.
Are you still in the events industry? Where are you working now?
Yes and no. I am the Marketing Director & Catering Coordinator (along with many unofficial titles) for Fuddruckers. I am in the restaurant world now, but I do coordinate caterings every day. I also helped establish Daltex Catering (an off-shoot of Fuddruckers Catering in Dallas, TX), and we cater anything from hamburgers to filet mignon at backyard barbecues to fancy schmancy weddings. I also get to enjoy the World’s Greatest Hamburgers whenever I want! *shameless plug* Fuddruckers never freezes their meat AND fresh bakes their buns every morning! And if you are wondering, the smell of fresh baked bread in the morning is A-mazing. Seriously, you need to forget about those trendy burger places and stick with the original.
Favorite thing you loved about working weddings with The Simplifiers?
As an apprentice, I loved working weddings, because what is a better way to learn than DOING? We were a part of making a bride’s [and groom’s] big day happen. And seeing the bride walk down the aisle to her groom after the hustle and bustle of setting everything up was the icing on the proverbial wedding cake.
As an Event Planner, I loved seeing the bride’s and my design ideas all come together. There is just something about knowing all your planning and design amounted to something pretty cool.
What Abbie is GREAT at:
Abbie has a sense of style and an eye for design like none other. She helped us create our “Design Dish” series on The Simplifiers blog which has since then become WILDLY popular on The Simplifiers Pinterest feed. Seriously, some of the mood boards she created years and years ago are still getting repinned by thousands of people today. And without a doubt, she was one of the best dressed Simplifiers of all-time…I never hesitated a moment to put her in front of a client, as an Apprentice and later, as an Event Planner. Polished, professional and perfectly represented our firm to a T.