The Chelsea Foundation and St Mary’s University recently hosted an event to give Chelsea FC Foundation College Academy students an insight into different job roles within the sporting sector.Club ambassador Tore Andre Flo attended last year’s event and this year it was former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole who joined a host of guest speakers from the club at the Industry Insights event which took place virtually due to the current global pandemic.The annual event, which was launched in 2019, was created to provide our College Academy students with an insight into the potential career paths and employment routes they can embark on upon completion of their further or higher education courses.Cole, who won the Premier League title three times with Chelsea, gave the students an insight into his playing career and was also joined by other guest speakers from the club who discussed their own personal journeys into their current role and sector of the football club.

James Phillips, Chelsea Foundation senior officer of football projects, said: ‘The Industry Insights Event held for a second year looked very different due to the current Covid pandemic but we were delighted to be able to hold the event virtually this year and actually this afforded a greater chance for our outreach College Academies to access it.‘Having Joe Cole begin the day with a fantastic opening address speaking about his playing days and transition into coaching and punditry really set the event off with a bang and he was followed by eight excellent speakers from different departments at the club.‘Our students really found the event engaging and informative and I am sure that all of them will now have a greater understanding of the types of job roles that may be available to them upon finishing their education.’

St Mary’s University student Dan O’Donoghue played a part in the event, interviewing the guest speakers and he said: ‘Hosting the industry insights day online was something we have not had to deal with before but the way the programme adapted was brilliant and delivered a very successful day.‘It was a fantastic experience for the current University students on the Chelsea FC Foundation degree programme to be involved with the planning and delivery of the day to the attending colleges and an experience that we can take forward into future events and employment.‘Having so many industry professionals in one place is brilliant for us as university students as well as college academy students as they can see the avenues that are available to them in the world of football.The Chelsea Foundation first started working with St Mary’s University, which is based in Twickenham, in 2015 and together with St Mary’s, the Foundation provides a coaching and development programme which gives students the opportunity to enhance their teaching and coaching practice.

The programme also allows students to develop their business and entrepreneurship skills while gaining an in-depth knowledge and understanding of football coaching and development.

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