Where Are They Now: Alex Ciesielska – assistant operations and marketing manager at Paris Saint-Germain Academy UK

UCFB graduate Alex caught up with us to talk about her career in football, which started while still at student at UCFB.

Alex Ciesielska, who studied BA (Hons) Sports Business and Coaching at UCFB Manchester, now works at the Paris Saint-Germain Academy UK as assistant operations and marketing manager.

Talking about her role, she said: “It’s quite broad. I look after anything to do with the operations side of the company, so making sure sessions and events are going ahead.”

She added: “We look at people who want to play football alongside their education. Our sessions are managed by the technical directors in Paris, which then get filtered down to the 30+ academies across the world.

“Through that, we allow our players and students to get a really good education alongside elite training.”

Alex earned her role after speaking to PSG Academy UK in her first year at UCFB, applying to do a coaching role at a summer residential with the academy.

After going back each summer, Alex was offered her current position, which uses both the business and coaching sides of her degree, before she’d graduates from UCFB.

Speaking about her time at UCFB, Alex said: “The degree was vital. It was broad, I was sure I was going to be a PE teacher, then a football coach, and then I had no idea, so it really broadened my horizons.”

On top of her degree, Alex took part in many extra-curricular activities, such as gaining experience in the United States through UCFB with visits to Baltimore Orioles in MLB and Las Vegas Golden Knights in NHL.

“I think when you go to a university like UCFB,” she said, “and you have these events that students can apply for, on top of conferences, seminars with amazing guest speakers, it’s hard not to make the most of these opportunities.”

She finished: “Take every single opportunity that is there for you. Work can come and go; money can come and go, but these opportunities are second-to-none.”

Find out more about UCFB’s dedicated Employability and Career Planning Team, who allow our students plenty of opportunities and experiences to make the most out of their time at UCFB.

You can also view a UCFB prospectus to find out more about our courses, campuses and everything about studying with us.