The Football Association [The FA] is to run an open day at St. George’s Park to showcase coaching opportunities for BAME and female coaches.

The event takes place on Monday 30 April 2018.

It follows the recent announcement of new initiatives and investments for 2018 which will have a significant impact, both on The FA itself and for all of English football:  enhancing the work of The FA in supporting a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the game being one of the key focus areas.

Traditionally, certain groups are underrepresented in football and have found entry into paid roles challenging.

The target audience for the day will be BAME males and all females who are:

• Aspiring grassroots and professional coaches looking for support, to progress and to get involved with The FA’s programmes
• Active coaches or former players
• Unemployed (experienced or high profile) coaches
• Open-minded, inquisitive and looking across the industry for opportunities.

The open day, at the national football centre in the midlands, will be free and provide coaches with expert support, advice on pathways to employment and the opportunity to showcase their coaching skills in front of potential employers on the pitches.

The FA already offers a number of programmes which support BAME (black, Asian and minority ethic community) and women coaches – both aspiring and established – and this open day addresses a perceived gap between training and employment.

The open day will provide pathways to employment, showcase careers and employer requirement, offer delegates the chance to provide shop window coaching sessions and offer workshops to develop key skills.

The open day will:

• Encourage and inspire the next generation of coaches
• Help link coaches with employers
• Create a potential route to employment
• Offer a better pathway for under-represented coaches
• Provide a positive learning opportunity
• Deliver workshops around key skills
• Provide a shop window for coaches to demonstrate their practical skills.

The FA’s Coach Inclusion and Diversity Manager, Dr Wayne Allison, said, “The FA is committed to ensuring everyone has opportunities to progress in football.  Black, Asian, minority ethnic community and women coaches have often found it difficult to find a way of moving from training and learning to paid employment.  We can’t guarantee jobs for everyone who comes, but we can guarantee there will be learning opportunities, a chance to showcase coaching skills and experts who will listen and support anyone with coaching questions and ambitions.”

Dan Ashworth, Technical Director of The FA, said, “The FA is putting time and money behind this project because it’s something we believe in.  I’m proud that we are offering the chance for coaches to come to St. George’s Park, experience the facilities here and run their own coaching session on the pitch used by the England squads is in front of potential employers.”

Anyone interested in the open day at St. George’s Park can register now on: http://www.facareersincoaching.com/.