UCFB takes pride in providing students with the best possible work placements which develop workplace skills and help establish their name in the industry.

One of the most recent partnership opportunities saw UCFB link up with the Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF) and Prost founder Steve Clare, ahead of their upcoming fixture against Kernow (Cornwall) at Northwood FC’s Fenton Engineering Stadium on Saturday 22nd May.

Three talented UCFB students and a recent graduate were selected to play an influential part in running the fixture through various capacities. Having previously heard from Matt Smith, Director of Communications, we continue the series by catching up with Editor-in-Chief of Prost Tom Hardy and Max Fleet, a BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance student, about their roles at the event…

 

Tom Hardy, who graduated from the BA (Hons) Football Business & Media programme in 2019, said: "Sometimes I can't quite believe I am Editor-in-Chief of Prost International, a site that sends up to 30 accredited journalists to EPL and EFL matches at weekends. It just seems so recent I was a student at UCFB Wembley where I learned so much.

"But being out there in the field and helping to prepare many of my fellow UCFB graduates for the real sporting world, was something I could never have foreseen. I still enjoy covering games, especially my own team Spurs, but watching these recruits learn and grow is a pleasure that I struggle to even put into words."

While there are four current UCFB students writing for Prost International and another four making a London Football podcast alongside the organisation, another partnership emerged with the creation of this match. UCFB students were given the exclusive opportunity to gain practical experience in helping to organise the running of the fixture.

 

Daniel Davies, a BA (Hons) Football Business & Media student showed the initative to broadcast the game live, and persuaded a shy Max Fleet to record some camera work which was not what he’d signed up for! When he is not working on filming, Max Fleet took on the role of finance for the fixture.

In a short time he has obtained both a Man of the Match trophy and a trophy for the winners, both guaranteed to be the first piece of silverware for either team, thus securing his place in either Cascadian or Cornish football history!

He told us: "Managing sponsorship and commercial operations for an International Exhibition match between two teams that compete within the ConIFA structure is a truly special placement, and one that I could simply not reject.

"Utilising absolutely every feasible opportunity possible is something I have learnt in my two years at UCFB."

Tickets for the match are available through Northwood's ticketing function.