A free Open Day is being organised by The Football Association at St George’s Park on Monday 30th April to highlight coaching opportunities for BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) and female coaches.

The showcase in Burton-upon-Trent follows the recent announcement of new initiatives and investments for 2018 which will have a significant impact, both on The FA themselves and for all of English football. These plans will enhance the work of The FA in supporting a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the game.

The Open Day will provide expert advice on pathways to employment and the opportunity to showcase their coaching skills in front of potential employers on the pitches. Traditionally, certain groups are underrepresented in football and have found entry into paid roles challenging. The target audience for the day will be BAME males and all females who are:

* aspiring grassroots and professional coaches looking for support to progress, and to get involved with, The FA’s programmes
* active coaches or former players
* unemployed (experienced or high-profile) coaches
* open-minded, inquisitive coaches looking across the industry for opportunities

The FA already offers a number of programmes which support aspiring and established BAME and female coaches and this event addresses a perceived gap between training and employment. It will provide employer requirement details and ‘shop window’ coaching sessions as well as workshops which will help to develop key skills.

The FA’s Coach Inclusion and Diversity Manager, Dr Wayne Allison, explained: “The FA is committed to ensuring everyone has opportunities to progress in football. We can’t guarantee jobs for everyone who comes, but we can guarantee there will be learning opportunities, a chance to showcase coaching skills and experts who will listen and support anyone with coaching questions and ambitions.”

Dan Ashworth, FA Technical Director, added: “The FA is putting time and money behind this project because it’s something we believe in. I’m proud that we are offering the chance for coaches to come to St George’s Park, experience the facilities here and run their own coaching sessions on the pitch used by the England squads in front of potential employers.”

Anyone interested in the Open Day at St George’s Park can register now at www.facareersincoaching.com. To find out more about grassroots football in Essex browse the manus above, follow @EssexCountyFA on Twitter and search for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.