Dearne Valley College to be part of the FA Women’s Football Apprenticeship programme

We are delighted to announce Dearne Valley College and Rotherham College (part of the RNN Group) have been selected to be part of the FA Women’s Football Apprenticeship programme and are now taking applications for the new role.

We are looking to recruit an FA Women’s Football Development Officer (Apprentice) who will support with increasing the number of females participating in football across our communities to improve education, employment and health outcomes for young people.

The programme has been designed by AoC Sport and the FA with training being delivered by Weston College, aligning with the FA’s 2020-2024 women’s strategy to grow the game and develop the future workforce. The aim of this unique programme is to deliver a holistic learning experience, which will ultimately provide the successful candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to be pioneers of the women’s game.

RNN Group Head of Learner Experience and Quality Rebecca Blackburn will work closely with the Football Development Officer who will play a key role in providing opportunities for females to take part in sport.

Rebecca said: “College is about so much more than just what you learn in the classroom, it’s about the wider experience and having the opportunity to try new things. This new role will help females, whether they are students on study programmes, apprentices or adult learners, get involved in a game that definitely isn’t just for the boys!

“With the UEFA Women’s European Championships coming to Rotherham in 2022 we hope that this role will inspire lots more females to take part in the beautiful game.”

AoC Sport’s National Women’s Football Development Officer, Chelsea Mulheir, said: “The programme aims to boost student employability while supporting the FA in doubling female participation. The key focus is on developing apprentice’s personal behaviours via a bespoke personal development compass and behaviour framework.”

Find out more about the FA Women’s Football Apprenticeship here.