Cheltenham Town recognises that career transition can be supported as part of the academy journey. The Robins have formed a partnership with Superdry, a global apparel brand, located one mile away from the club.
The Under-18s undertook an experience day to learn about how it operates as one of the UK’s leading clothing labels and how it provides hundreds of jobs for people in the town.
Apprentices received a unique insight to the strategy of the business, hearing from employees and working with departments throughout the day to learn and ‘have a go’ themselves.
Superdry also provided recruitment support, focusing on CV writing, tips and techniques, as well as a tutorial on how to use LinkedIn.
The experience aimed to inspire by providing learning in the following areas:
- Design
- Human Resources
- IT
- Photography & Videography
- Products
- Strategy
- Technical Quality Control
- Values & History
Aled James, Superdry Global Learning & Development Manager, said: “A big focus for us as a HR function is to spot local talent of all ages that we can bring into the business to support us to continue to drive the brand forward.
“We know that as one of a number of big employers in Gloucestershire, we need to be active in having conversations as early as possible with these talented individuals.”
Pete Haynes, Cheltenham Town Lead Professional Development Phase Coach, added: “This event is to give help and support to both players and a local business. For the players, it is a different experience to their normal day and have a taste of what else is out there.
“They gain an understanding of how a business works and can think about their own identity, too. Will they enjoy finance or design? I am keen for them to know that they can build a career in something that isn’t football, but can exist alongside or instead of football.”
