Willem Myburgh

Experience

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  Occhiali

  May 2003 - Jul 2004

  Retail Sales Consultant

  I loved managing the sales kiosk in the V&A Waterfront. It was a pleasure dealing with people from all over the world and seeing how they react differently to the kind of customer service they receive. I learned a lot about working in such an exposed environment and keeping a friendly and professional attitude.

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  Extreme Eyewear

  Aug 2004 - Feb 2005

  Retail Consultant

  I learned a great deal about the technologies used by the top sunglasses brands in the world and how to sell a new brand, such as Oliver Peoples to the South African market. I assisted the owner in setting up a new branch, choosing stock and dealing with the Brand Representatives.

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  THE OUTLOOK FOUNDATION

  Aug 2005 - May 2007

  Senior Project Worker

  Moving to the UK was always a dream and having the opportunity to work with young adults with learning disabilities and autism changed my life. By providing Life Skills Training and Independent Living support, I learned a great deal about myself and how easily we take things for granted. I successfully implemented a new Policy & Procedure called "Casual Agreements" to assist the young adults in understanding responsibilities and consequences better. http://www.outlookfoundation.co.uk/

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  Pollen Crew

  Jun 2007 - Jun 2010

  Event Support

  From setting up the Christmas decorations at No.10 Downing Street to a lavish year-end function at the Natural History Museum, this role allowed me access to some of the most amazing venues in and around London. It was physically hard but yet rewarding work having to deal with clients, event organizers, venue hosts, and other service delivery companies all with tight deadlines. I learned a great deal about communication and staying calm under pressure. http://www.pollencrew.co.uk/index.html Show less

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  Westminster City Council

  Apr 2008 - Sept 2011

  Support Worker

  This is by far one of the most rewarding job roles I have had. I assisted profoundly autistic non-verbal adults with complex behavioural needs navigating their everyday lives and overcoming the challenges they faced accessing facilities, finding work and socialising in their communities. The role equipped with me a skill set to deal with extremely stressful situations in a calm and objective manner while quickly finding solutions to reduce conflict.

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  Everyday Angels

  Jul 2010 - Aug 2011

  Care Worker

  This role challenged me physically, emotionally and culturally. I provided care to a non-verbal profoundly autistic young male in his home. Due to his culture and social standing, I faced many obstacles in helping reduce his challenging behaviours and positively manage his daily rituals. By working with his circle of support, this included his nanny and other members of the household staff, we reduced his levels of violent incidents and introduced positive activities into his routine.

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  Academy for Adults with Autism

  Dec 2011 - Dec 2012

  Committee Member

  I volunteered as a committee member consulting on the development of a 24 hour residential care facility for young adults with autism. It was an interesting role as I learned a great deal about the challenges these types of organisations face in the South African context.

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  Yuri Arcurs Photography

  Apr 2012 - Jun 2013

  Photo Retoucher

  It was an extremely difficult decision to leave autism and care behind but after 3 months struggling to find employment I had to move on. I was very grateful for the photo retoucher role as it was a great opportunity to get back on the design horse. The professional and deadline driven environment pushed me to quickly bring my Photoshop skills up to date and gave me insight into the stock photography industry while working closely with the photographers.As part of the social committee, my colleague and I successfully managed and facilitated "Creative Fridays", a team building project to encourage creative thinking and problem solving within the workplace. Show less

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  Open Design Cape Town

  Aug 2013 - Aug 2013

  Social Media and Admin Intern

  I loved being part of this amazing festival celebrating design. At times I felt like a headless chicken running around live Tweeting during talks and providing admin and social media support to event organizers but it was worth every bit. I am still amazed at how much I learned in such a short time. http://opendesignct.com/

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  MCQP

  Sept 2013 - Dec 2013

  Senior Décor Manager

  I loved every moment during this crazy 4-month glitter filled adventure. Every week had a new challenge, from creating the décor for the Theme Launch party at Crew Bar to managing the set up of the main event at the Cape Town Stadium but I learned so much. The most rewarding aspect of the experience was the opportunity to collaborate with local artist and performers.http://www.mcqp.co.za/

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  Dynamic Exposure

  Feb 2014 - Apr 2016

  Graphic Designer / DTP / Social Media Manager

  I had the great pleasure of helping small business owners and entrepreneurs bring their creative visions to life. From creating their first logo or taking the scary leap onto social media, each project was very personal, which made it challenging and exciting.

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  Dry Force South Africa

  May 2016 - Sept 2017

  National Marketing Manager

  I learned a great deal about a new industry and the challenges in marketing unique services and products to clients. Some of my duties included overseeing the company’s marketing budget, designing print advertising and marketing materials, managing uniforms and planning company events, such as golf days, expos and other industry related events. I successfully grew the company's Facebook page, increasing community engagement and lead generation. I worked closely with an agency in designing and developing the new company website and reduced the department' budget by planning company events more cost effectively. Show less

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  Astrovix

  Dec 2017 - now

  Graphic Designer / Illustrator

  I am a freelance graphic designer and illustrator working on various projects from designing new logos to doing illustrations for packaging. I can also assist with DTP, social media management and content creation. Please visit my website http://astrovix.co.za/ and get in touch if you wish to collaborate.