UCFB hosts successful ‘Raise Your Game’ Event alongside partners Kick It Out and Sky

UCFB Wembley recently hosted the ‘Raise Your Game’ media event with industry partners Kick It Out and Sky.

The event, held at our Arch View House facility, was an opportunity for young people to kickstart their careers in the football media industry.

With workshops, talks and panel sessions, there was plenty for the attendees to take away from the event.

One panel was led by Sky Sports presenter Dharmesh Sheth, who said: “Whenever I come to these events, I always think about how I wish that when I was starting off in the industry, there was something like this that I could have had access too, because of the opportunities that these guys are going to get today to speak to people in the industry.”

Representatives from organisations such as The Premier League and LinkedIn, as well as Sky Sports, were all in attendance to offer advice and network with the attendees.

Reema Samuel-Lewis, group head of diversity and inclusion partnerships at Sky, said: “Days like today are so important because they’re a really great opportunity for people to create networks and really understand what it takes to enter the football industry.”

Another attendee was Versus. Johnny Kay, the organisation’s chief commercial officer, said: “There is such an increased desire from young people to want to work in football.

“Football has had this huge cultural explosion moment, but the reality is for some people from underrepresented groups, it’s just so challenging. Even for anyone to break in, let alone a lot of the challenges that come with being a young black or brown girl or boy.”

Dharmesh finished: “It’s a fantastic initiative which Kick It Out have come up with to try and get more people from ethnic backgrounds into the football industry.

“I always say, ‘get your foot in the door, and if you get your foot in the door, it’s how you wiggle your toes.’”