October 1, 2020, by jhillary1

Unlock careers skills through participation in sport at university

By Molly Riley, sport and exercise science student

We asked Molly about her involvement in sport at Nottingham and how it is helping her develop career skills.

What activities have you been involved in?

In my first year, or what we had of it, I was  involved in the Sport for Good Nottingham project and Ultimate in Schools. 

For the Sport for Good Nottingham project, I went to Highbank Primary and Nursery School in Clifton weekly for four weeks. When I was there, me and other volunteers delivered sport sessions to about 40 Year six students.  As well as delivering a social project, Sport for Good Nottingham focuses on using sport to build life skills in young people.

The Ultimate in Schools project involved a group of five Ultimate players going to Nottingham Trent University to deliver Ultimate taster sessions to students aged 13 to 16 years. My role was to help students learn the correct technique of forehand and backhand throws, understand the rules, and encourage them to have a go at a sport they may not have tried before.  

What skills have you developed?

From doing both opportunities, I have improved my range of skills including leadership, confidence, and communication. I would say that the skill I most improved was leadership.

Before coming to university, I had done some volunteering with children at first and middle schools, but I had not done much with students at high school. These opportunities have allowed me to broaden my ability, confidence, and communication to lead all age groups across all schools and school types. 

I am not sure exactly what I would like to do in the future, but I believe that the skills that I am learning will be essential in any job I get in the sports industry.  

What would you say to students about getting involved in sports to boost their employability?

I would say do it! These projects have been incredibly fun and you learn so much while you’re there. I would also say try something that you have never done before, because that may lead to other opportunities.

I had no previous experience with Ultimate before I came to university but playing has allowed me to volunteer and become a committee member (events co-ordinator) too. 

Find out how you can develop your leadership skills through sport on the University’s Sports website.

Want to find out how involvement in sport can enhance your employability? Read our article, Kick-start your career in sport, in our online careers guide, begin!.

If a career in sport interests you, have a look at our working in sport page.

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