Becoming a CAEP Recruiter: Rosario Fillol
Rosario Fillol began her CAEP experience in 2011, when she participated in her first CAEP Enology program. Since then, she has completed an additional program and become a CAEP Recruiter
“My experience as a CAEP trainee was one of the best times in my life so far,” said Rosario. “It was the first time that I had ever travelled by myself and I was able to gain experience in something that I was really passionate about.”
Rosario spent three months in California making wine, visiting wineries, and learning about the daily experience at her host winery. During her internship, she trained as a cellar hand, gaining hands on experience in the process of harvesting and creating wines.
“Because of my experience in California, I got the chance to go to New Zealand and Italy because of the contacts that I made and the experiences that I gained.
After she completed her second CAEP program, Rosario decided to become a CAEP recruiter and share her experience with others in her home country of Chile. “I had a lot of friends that wanted to have the same experience that I had through CAEP. I wanted to help give them the same opportunity that I had.”
Since becoming a CAEP Recruiter, Rosario has been able to connect with young winemakers from Chile, who want to travel abroad and gain international winemaking experience. “It is great to see their enthusiasm and motivation to get to know more about wines.”
For Rosario, becoming a recruiter fit well into her schedule. She is currently harvesting in Italy and is able to recruit at the same time. “There is a time gap between my two harvest times, so I can totally dedicate that time to looking for new people who are interested in joining the program!”
Many perspective recruiters are concerned that they will not be able to connect with people who are interested in participating in an international internship. Rosario has made connections that allow her to easily connect with interested individuals. “It is not hard to find new people that are interested in participating on a CAEP program. I am connected with my university, which graduates 15 winemakers every year so I am able to talk with them about participating. I also meet new people during my travels that are interested in participating.”
When Rosario finds a young adult that is interested in participating, she checks to make sure that they meet the qualifications and then helps them through the application process. “If they have a winery that they are interested in, I share my contacts in California with them and tell them how to contact the wineries. I am there to get them motivated about the program and answer any questions that they have!”
Rosario decided to become a recruiter because she wanted to share her CAEP experience with others. “If you want to see others have the same great experience that you had, you should become a recruiter! It is not a hard job and you create new contacts, earn money, and you know that you will help others have a new experience!”