Last week, final year UCFB and GIS students made their way to St. George’s Park, the home of England’s national football teams, for the annual Future Leaders Conference, designed to prepare and inspire soon-to-be graduates for the world of work that awaits them.
With incredibly moving stories from former Premier League winner and top goal scorer Chris Sutton, FIFA referee Paul Tierney, and a host of alumni, students gained invaluable insights into what it takes to succeed in this competitive, but hugely rewarding, industry.
Commenting on the day, Nicole Grainger, a BA (Hons) Sports Business & Sports Broadcasting student, said: “The Future Leaders Conference was so inspiring, it really does help open your eyes to the real world that’s to come for us third years! I’m very grateful to UCFB for giving us the opportunity to visit St. George’s Park.”
Students also enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the Staffordshire grounds, which boasts 14 outdoor pitches, a full-size indoor 3G pitch, a rehabilitation suite and an indoor futsal arena, where England players train from a young age, striving to become the very best in the business.
Really enjoyed my Keynote speaking debut at the #FutureLeadersConference for @ucfb and meeting so many young talented people with a great future ahead👏👏 #justdomore #keynotespeaker #UCFB pic.twitter.com/lvORK4Qg5k
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) March 30, 2022
Samantha Richards, a BA (Hons) Multimedia Sports Journalism student, added: “The day was action-packed, with the alumni panel, guest speakers and individual subject sessions. The day was certainly inspiring – as our journey comes to a close with UCFB, our journeys into sport have only just started. Watch this space!”
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