As a BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism student, Jack Bibb is putting his degree to good use in his recently secured role at EFL Championship side Coventry City. From gaining press-box experience to taking charge of the club’s social media, the placement has helped Jack build his experience, along with his network of contacts, in the industry. Here, the UCFB Wembley student shares the highlights of working at Coventry and why UCFB “has got you covered”.

Tell us about your role as Media Assistant at Coventry and how you landed it.

I am a Media Assistant at Coventry, so essentially I help the social media output, whether that’s taking control of the Instagram on a match day or writing up a preview for the upcoming game. I landed the role through the UCFB JobTeaser website; I just happened to be browsing it one day, saw the role, submitted my credentials, and was lucky enough to secure the placement.

What have been some of the highlights of the role so far?

This is Coventry’s first season back at the Coventry Building Society Arena (formerly the Ricoh Arena), so there’s been a brilliant buzz around the place for the Coventry homecoming. On top of that, gaining valuable press-box experience and making connections with other professionals from the sports media industry have certainly been personal highlights.

What have you brought to the role from your BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism programme?

There are so many skills that I have been able to transfer from learning on my course to actually using them in a practical environment at Coventry. Small, but important things I’ve learnt when it comes to match reporting and also how to optimise the social media content, which I put into practice on the club’s Instagram.

How have you found balancing the role alongside your degree?

Balancing UCFB commitments and Coventry hasn’t been a problem at all and I’ve managed to cope well with the workload for both roles. I have contact with my UCFB lecturers two days a week and then I always aim to make it to wherever Coventry are playing as well. The club have been very helpful when catering to my needs, though, if I can’t make it.

You were previously Head of Social Media at WD Sportz. How important do you think this experience was in securing your role at Coventry?

I learnt a lot at WDSportz, mainly about how social media platforms operate. What works and what doesn’t and I’ve then used this to provide the best content on Instagram on a match day.

How have you found your time at UCFB so far?

My time at UCFB has been nothing short of amazing so far. COVID-19 was a massive kick in the teeth, but I still feel I was provided with the resources I needed from my lecturers. This year, of course, has been much better than last and I’m looking forward to continuing learning about the sports media industry.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to study at UCFB?

I can’t recommend UCFB enough. From studying in an iconic sports stadium such as Wembley, to the opportunities they provide when it comes to learning from industry experts. If you’re looking for somewhere to step into the sports world, whether it be the media or coaching, UCFB has got you covered!