Work Placement at Dreamworld

[TommyDig]

Let me start by saying that if you ever get the chance to do Work Placement/Experience at Dreamworld take up the opportunity. I'm doing a VET Entertainment course at school and each student is required to 35 hours of work placement. We were given a list of places and Dreamworld was an option. I applied and was accepted for a week of work placement. MONDAY I was placed in guest services and was inducted really well and all the staff were really nice. In the morning I got to issue the World Pass wristbands to guests, which did get a bit monotonous. After lunch I went to the upgrade booths and gave pass out stamps and swiped annual passes. TUESDAY I was taken over to WhiteWater World and got to see what lifeguards do throughout the day. I became the splashdown lifeguard’s assistant, putting the tubes up the conveyors. I was taken behind the Cave of Waves and shown the controls for it. It was a really fun day, surprisingly. WEDNESDAY The Entertainment department was next. I became a chaperone of Spongebob, Patrick and Dorothy. I got to see how the Spongebob and Slimetime shows are set up and run. There is a pantry full of slime powder! The people in this department are really laid back and friendly, in their breaks they take turns trying to finish Crash Bandicoot on the ageing Psone. THURSDAY The week kept getting better, as I was placed in the rides and attractions department. I was given a tour of the back of house areas and the Mine Ride’s mountain. I wish I had my camera on me to take some pics. I was shown The Claw’s control panel and the IMAX theatre’s bio-box. There was a training at the Giant Drop and I was shown to dispatch the ride. And I didn’t know this but, the catch car thing is left at the top each night, it’s something to do with the maintenance people. FRIDAY (BEST DAY EVER) This was my day of choosing. The training coordinators told me that I could come in early and watch slide checks be done. The lifeguards have to check the slides for any cracks, bumps and sharp bits by walking up the slides, then turning them on and then sliding down. After being soaked by the bucket on Pipeline Plunge, I got to go to the Tower of Terror as there was an operator being trained. Here I was told what has to be done during an E-Brake and power trips. If an E-Brake occurs the operators have to get their supervisors and get them to pull the car back to the station. If a power trip happens the level two operator (the one on the side where the guests get on) has to flick a switch at the right moment to get the car to come back to the station. I then got to go do the Slime Time show again and a chaperone of Henry at WhiteWater World. After lunch I went to the log ride and was told that you have to be the highest level operator to run the ride. I was then told to go and see Joan (who is the nicest lady I’ve met) at the Motocoaster. I got to go into the control booth which is the coolest out of them all. It has a picture of the track on the screen, how fast it launches each time, the total number of launches and the where the trains are on the track. The day was nearing its end and i got to go on the last three launches for the day. So that was my work placement experience at Dreamworld. If anyone else has been on work placement at Dreamworld or other parks please post them up.

[Chaos-Maniac]

Wow. Sounds amazing. Well done. Your lucky, sure they'd have a line up of people.

[stardust]

Cool!! So did you see inside the mine ride?? Sounds fun!! I did work experience at a IT firm but lots of people at my school did DW and stuff, none of my friends though. Some company just placed everyone.

[TommyDig]

So did you see inside the mine ride??

Yeah. I went in the back of it, through the big wooden doors, and I didn't realise where we were until i looked up and saw the Mine Ride's track. It looked really cool. There are tubes of fake rock everywhere. Anthony, the man I was with, showed me how they get the trains on and off the main track. I asked him if Dreamworld was ever going to fix it and he said Yes without saying the actual word Yes.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

And I didn’t know this but, the catch car thing is left at the top each night, it’s something to do with the maintenance people.

A Giant Drop Ride \ Tower drop ride that uses a catch car to take the Cabin to the top always leaves the catchcar at the top at night. Simple reason is if you have the catchcar at the bottom of the tower all night, you have a very long length of cable, run down a very tall tower, with many things attached to the side, including guide rails, brake fins, bolts, rivets and many other things that the cable can bounce around on and rub on in the wind. By leaving the catch car at the top, the cable doesn't bounce around, and therefore reduces the risk of the cable failing on the ride, as it doesn't wear out anywhere near as quickly. This is also why a lot of drop style rides don't operate in heavy wind. Edited December 20, 2007 by AlexB

[saberon]

Sounds like you had a blast

[Harrop]

highest level operator required to operate the log ride? good god, what has the world come to

[Lotl_90]

The Log ride operator has to be a higher level operator due to the level of duties required to operate it (10 logs to co-ordinate + pumps etc). Although the Log ride operators are at the same level as the other big ride operators.

[dreamworld_rulz]

The Log ride operator has to be a higher level operator due to the level of duties required to operate it (10 logs to co-ordinate + pumps etc). Although the Log ride operators are at the same level as the other big ride operators.

I always thought the pumps worked automatically.

[Gold Coaster]

I thought they were operated by the old Beetlejuice animatronic who went to DW for higher pay.

Edited January 9, 2008 by Tony Teulan

[Spotty]

Do you mean the Beetlejuice character that used to be in the Gremlins ride, or the roving one? I remember they used to have Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors walking around Movie World, with a mechanical version of Audrey II.

[Gold Coaster]

By animatronic, I would mean robot

[Spotty]

Yeh... the BeetleJuice character in the Gremlin's Ride was a robot...

[Gold Coaster]

... wow, you're really slow. That's what I was saying. I was making a joke about a robot going to DW for higher pay and operating the pumps... Edited January 10, 2008 by Tony Teulan

[Spotty]

Quiet you I have the flu... my brain is like mush right now.

[Lotl_90]

I always thought the pumps worked automatically.

Yes, the pumps do operate automatically, but the operators have to prime them when they get too low. Only the high level ops have the auth. to prime them. Its boring if they arent primed

[Original]

I have to do work experience, I tried WVTP but they no longer offer it and have not for 18 months due to insurance issues!!! I am interested in business and marketing and was wondering if dreamworld offer anything like that and if it was worth it!!!

[mac_attack]

ohh im so jealous i live in melbourne haha the closest thing i could get is luna park and that would be a hooot

[Lotl_90]

I have to do work experience, I tried WVTP but they no longer offer it and have not for 18 months due to insurance issues!!! I am interested in business and marketing and was wondering if dreamworld offer anything like that and if it was worth it!!!

When I did my work experience there quite a while ago, they only offered you a WE position in one operation dept, whether that be retail (merch or photographics), f&b, or Ent. and Attractions, and the placement was for one week. My Understanding now though, is that the work experience course has become more structured, and that you are set to a program similar to that of the person above, although it may differ with other departmental inclusions like retail etc. I am yet to hear of anyone who has managed to get a WE placement in depts. like Sales and Marketing or PR etc. Best bet would be to drop an email to HR @ Dreamworld and ask what sorts of programs are available.