Join the second edition of the ECA Club Talent & Mentoring Programme
Ambitious young professionals from across the ECA Family are being invited to join an ECA initiative aimed at shaping the next generation of football leaders.
The ECA Club Talent & Mentoring Programme (CTMP), which was added to the ECA Campus portfolio in 2022, is back for its second edition in June 2024. The programme provides a pathway for the development of identified talent within a club’s management and administrative staff. It gives an opportunity to club professionals within the ECA Family to expand their knowledge, develop key skills, grow their network and learn from the best in the business.
The blended learning programme is intended to be unique and dynamic in its approach, with a focus on developing, promoting, and inspiring emerging talent at clubs to explore their potential and to positively contribute to the future of club football.
The CTMP is aimed at providing the right skills, know-how and professional networking opportunities to succeed in club leadership positions. These foundations will support club professionals as they navigate through the complexities of an ever-changing club environment.
Sara Williams ECA Knowledge & Education Manager said: “The overall aim is to develop individuals who can, through education and knowledge, be better informed and go on to create a real impact in their club and on the future of European club football.
“CTMP is for driven, passionate but busy young professionals within clubs, seeking a compact impactful learning opportunity to help further their careers. Participants will have different specialisations and educational qualifications, and work in disparate areas of club football. The CTMP will give them a much broader view and understanding of what it takes to run a successful club.”
The CTMP consists of three main elements; online learning, an in-person learning week in Lisbon Portugal, and a 12-month mentoring scheme.
Whilst the online sessions will provide participants with foundation knowledge, the in-person learning week (17 – 22 June 2024) will offer an incredible opportunity to delve deeper into key topics, to gain exclusive club insights, to enhance essential skills and to forge lifelong connections with industry peers.
To ensure the learning does not end in Portugal, the 12-month mentoring scheme, a key component of the project, will connect club talents with highly experienced industry representatives who have the desire to “give back” to football and its future generations.
In summary, by the end of the programme, participants can expect to have:
- Gained a holistic understanding of key areas of football club operations and management;
- Addressed current challenges in European club football and practised new approaches to problem solving;
- Developed key soft skills through practical application and feedback;
- Connected to industry experts and strengthened their own (as well as their club’s) network;
- Been mentored by highly experienced club executives and developed a personal action plan;
- Gained confidence, inspiration, and knowledge to create impact at their club and in the wider football industry.
Jérémy Cottino, ECA Membership Project Leader added: “The Club Talent & Management Programme demonstrates ECA’s commitment to the European football family and our ambition to use education to drive the future of the game across the continent”.
The first programme saw 27 participants from 23 ECA Member Clubs form the first CTMP cohort, with at least 16 different nationalities represented.
If you are also an aspiring young club professional, with 1-5 years’ experience working in football, working for a ECA Member Club, you can apply now.
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And in case we haven't convinced you to apply yet, we'll let the previous alumni do the talking:
Riccardo Martinelli, Associate Strategy Manager at AC Milan said: “The ECA CTMP provided me with a unique opportunity to grow my network with talented professionals, gain insights from high-caliber speakers, and work on challenging projects. The standout, however, was the mentorship scheme from a leading industry expert committed to my professional development. I wholeheartedly recommend CTMP for anyone seeking a transformative experience in the sports industry.”
Lochan Korpal, Senior Strategy Analyst at Manchester United added: “I thought the ECA CTMP was excellent, and I learnt so much. All the speakers and presentations were so insightful - I feel I not only developed my holistic understanding of the football industry, but also learnt many key skills that will help me in my future career, such as leadership, presenting, and even how to make better eye contact! Having such close access to so many leading professionals in the football & education sectors was a great privilege.”
For further information contact: campus@ecaeurope.com