UCFB business student gains experience in United States at Florida baseball side

A UCFB student has been speaking about his experience working in the United States at an American baseball club.

William Harbottle, who studies BA (Hons) Football Business at UCFB Manchester, spent a week in Florida, gaining quality industry experience with Minor League Baseball side Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

Across his week in the USA, William worked across a wide range of departments throughout the club.

Read what he had to say about his experience on the other side of the Atlantic below…

“I recently had the amazing opportunity to spend a week with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, thanks to the UCFB ECP team, meeting some of the most talented people I’ve ever come across.

“The week was packed with insights, ranging from shadowing the media team to collect interviews, film promotions and commentate on games, to working with the promotions team handing out free souvenirs and helping to run their commercial break games.

“There were numerous lessons I learnt throughout the week — from what British sport could improve on in terms of fan engagement, such as interacting with supporters during breaks or offering incentives such as free souvenirs to encourage early arrivals, to more personal takeaways about the value of putting yourself out there and talking to people. There are so many opportunities which aren’t publicly advertised and sometimes all it takes is a simple conversation to uncover them.

“As someone who loves all sport, being able to watch high-level competitive games every night was an unforgettable experience — something I’ll always treasure and which has even sparked an interest in possibly working in US sport one day.

“My advice to anyone seeking a similar opportunity is to put yourself out there, be curious and approach everything with an open mind. Sport in the US is completely different to the UK — but both are brilliant in their own right.”

Learn more about UCFB’s dedicated Employability and Career Planning Team and the incredible opportunities and experiences they offer to our students.