UCFB course leader’s top advice for those pursuing careers in the sports industry

A UCFB course leader has been sharing his top piece of advice for those wanting to score their career goals in the football and wider sports industry.

Paul Brewster, course leader at UCFB Wembley for BA (Hons) Football Business and Finance, spoke about resilience, belief and inspiration being needed for thriving in the industry.

“You’ve got to have a belief in your abilities,” Paul said. “You’ve got to have a can-do attitude at all times, even though you may feel afraid engaging in something in a new way. You’ve got to work really hard.

“Sometimes you may have to make sacrifices which may be difficult, and I think always having a positive attitude. There’ll be days where you’re going to have difficulties, and there’ll be days when your confidence will be knocked, but you’ve got to be able to get back up and keep going.

“There’s a level of resilience that is vitally important.”

Paul then went on to speak about how the need for close ones is essential, particularly those to mentor and inspire along the way.

“Any goal, anything you want to achieve in life,” he added, “you’ve got to have direction, mentors, whether its family or lectures.

“One thing I try to do is inspire my students as much as I possibly can to inspire them to do well so that when they leave, they can look back on their experience at UCFB thinking This lecturer really inspired me to do well, and they have fond memories of that lecture or group of lectures because we all need that inspiration.

“We can never achieve anything on our own, we’re going to need people around us to help us, and I see my role as a facilitator and as an influencer for students to help them achieve their career goals. And if I’ve done that, I’ve done my job.”

He added: “I don’t see UCFB as a job, I see it as an opportunity for me to help young people, and maybe that’s the reason I put so much into it, because I don’t just see it as I come to clock time and then I get paid at the end of the day.

“I tell students that when they succeed, I succeed. If you don’t succeed I don’t succeed, and it worries me when that happens, as I think what could I have done better to allow students to better achieve their objectives.

“You’ve got to be proactive, work hard and be committed. The career you end up in, hopefully you don’t see it as a job, you see it as a passion.”

Offering advice specifically UCFB students, Paul finished: “Engage with the ECP Team as much as you possibly can, because over the three years studying an undergraduate degree at UCFB, you’ve got to be building your CV so that you can differentiate yourself from other candidates when you get out into the real world.

“Let’s say you wanted to do an internship, the ECP team could get you into a club so you can get that experience. Let’s say you get your foot into the door, try your level best at that institution, so that those who are engaging with you have a positive impression of you, as that could be a job waiting for you when you leave the university.”

Clearing places are still available at UCFB for September 2025 entry. Click here to kick off your career in sport.

You can also view a UCFB prospectus to learn more about how UCFB can help you score your dream role.