The Powerhouse Project is in its second edition and is aimed at providing an opportunity for female coaches with a UEFA C licence to improve their skills and experience to aid preparation ahead of taking the next step in their coaching journey on the UEFA B licence course.

The UEFA B licence is a crucial qualification for any coach hoping to work in the elite side of the game, and it is often a minimum requirement to work in any professional football academy.

The 12 coaches taking part in the current ‘UEFA B Prep Programme’ with The Powerhouse Project, were given an extra boost by being invited to use the state-of-the-art facilities at our Cobham training ground for both the classroom and pitch-based sessions.

That was just the start of the Blues’ role in The Powerhouse Project, though, with one of the highlights being the opportunity to learn from the perfect role model for any potential female coach, Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes, who took part in a question-and-answer session with the participants and had this to say about the project:

'It’s been great to hear the amazing work Nike and the FA are doing to support these future female coaches. We've taken huge strides, collectively, in the women's game over the past few years, but it's not just about the here and now. In order for us to keep building on all the good work being done, we've got to look after the next generation of coaches coming through, and projects like this can play a big part in inspiring them as they set out on their coaching journey.'

During their month-long stay at Cobham, the coaches also received visits from one of the stars of Hayes’ playing squad, Pernille Harder, and Chelsea Women Academy Under-21s coach Leanne Champ, who shared the lessons learned from their own experiences gaining a UEFA B licence and entering coaching.

However, the real icing on the cake comes in the club’s commitment, in partnership with Nike, to offer one graduate from the course a 12-month paid internship within the Chelsea Women’s Academy starting in July 2023.

This collaboration with Nike and The Powerhouse Project – an organisation focused on developing the next generation of female leaders in football, founded by ex-players turned sports media professionals Mollie and Rosie Kmita – sees Chelsea continue our commitment to driving opportunities for under-represented groups within football.