The Challenge

Bloomberg’s apprentice community needed social and professional events that would build camaraderie, provide networking opportunities, and make the apprenticeship experience more than just a job.

My Role

I served on the Bloomberg Apprentice Committee, helping plan and deliver social events both inside and outside of work. My primary contribution was organising the winter social event — a significant undertaking with real budget responsibility.

The Winter Social

The winter social was the committee’s flagship event. I took ownership of the end-to-end planning:

Budget management: £10,000 budget requiring careful allocation across venue, catering, entertainment, and contingencies.

Venue selection: Researched and evaluated multiple venues, balancing capacity requirements, location accessibility, and cost.

Stakeholder coordination: Worked with HR on pricing, attendee numbers, and policy compliance. Liaised with catering on menu options including allergy requirements and dietary restrictions.

Logistics: Managed the attendee list, communications, and on-the-day coordination.

The Results

  • Successfully delivered the winter social event within the £10,000 budget
  • Positive attendee feedback — the event was rated highly by apprentices and became a highlight of the social calendar
  • Developed practical event management and budgeting skills
  • Built relationships across the apprentice cohort and with HR stakeholders

Key Takeaways

Planning events at this scale taught me skills that transfer directly to professional project management: budget accountability, vendor negotiation, stakeholder communication, and delivering under pressure.