Shelbourne announces League of Ireland’s first club-run full-time business course

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Shelbourne announces League of Ireland’s first club-run full-time business course as part of newly established Shelbourne College

  • Business administration course with Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB)  for early school leavers will be full-time diploma starting in September 2021
  • Course will be central pillar of the Shelbourne College which will be home to several educational opportunities to be unveiled in coming months

July 2021: Shelbourne Football Club is delighted to launch a new multi-faceted full-time Business Administration course in partnership with the Dublin & Dun Laoghaire Education & Training Board via the Baldoyle Training Centre for early school leavers. 

The course is the first of its kind in the country and is the first element of the newly established Shelbourne College which will house several educational opportunities for young people in Dublin and the Fingal area.

The full-time course, central to Shelbourne’s Reds Together community programme, will be open to all  early school leavers aged between 17 and 23 with 25 places available for the course which will be run across a full academic year of 48 weeks. 

Funded by the DDLETB, the programme is centred on a VTCT Level 2 / EQF Level 3 / QQI Level 4 Diploma in Business Administration and aims to provide participants with the skills and competencies to progress to further education or employment. 

Participants will learn about the business basics of running sports clubs and the content of the programme has been adapted and merged with the VTCT Business Diploma course content ensuring that all VCTC learning outcomes are fully addressed.

The FAI, DDLETB and Shelbourne FC will cooperate to facilitate this unique learning opportunity for local young people.

The course uses football as a tool for participants to further the learning through the following modules:

  • Commercialisation and administration of football
  • Football and community development
  • Running an enterprising activity
  • Business development 
  • Marketing, branding and promotion
  • Event planning health and safety
  • Personal development and leadership
  • Volunteerism
  • Club finance
  • Football coaching

The course which is supported by the DDLETB Baldoyle Training Centre will be located at Liam Rodgers Community Centre in Swords, Dublin and will begin on 27 September, 2021 with applications now open at http://www.fetchcourses.ie/ and recruitment@shelbournefc.ie.

Job descriptions are available here for Course Co-Ordinator and here for Assistant Co-Ordinator

The announcement follows recent developments within Shelbourne’s Reds Together community programme after recently partnering with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services and The Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland. 

Following on from the club’s partnership with Dublin City University and ongoing activity with The Law Society of Ireland as well as several Shels coaches undergoing UEFA approved coaching courses, Shelbourne has agreed further international and national education opportunities to be announced in due course which will all be housed under Shelbourne College.  

Shelbourne FC Club President Brian MacCraith said: “Utilizing the power of sport as a means of supporting the North Dublin community is central to the value system of Shelbourne FC and it’s something that has impressed me greatly since I have become involved with the club. This innovative collaboration between Shelbourne FC, the FAI and Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education Training Board is a perfect example of this. This is an incredibly exciting project for the club and it will provide an important educational pathway for 25 young women and men.”

Shelbourne Chief Executive Officer David O’Connor said: “Throughout our Academy and senior teams, we have always seen the opportunity that the club has to be used as a vehicle to help young people, not only through football, but through educational and community opportunities. Our players, staff, coaches and fans all come from numerous different backgrounds and though some students and younger people may leave school early, there are always several different ways for them to continue their development and this course, through the power of football and Shelbourne’s community, offers a brilliant opportunity to help further their education.” 

Shelbourne FC, Co-Owner, Brian McGovern said: As you learn more about Shelbourne FC as an organisation, you get a sense of the priority that the club places on the community. The club is proud of developing great people. It’s this shared drive to always grow and learn that makes this partnership with the FAI and the DDLETB so well aligned with our club’s mission.”

DDLETB/Training Centre Baldoyle Manager Aidan Owens said: Baldoyle TC are delighted to be involved in partnership with the FAI and Shelbourne FC, in this very exciting new initiative based in the Swords/ Fingal area.  It will give a great opportunity to young people to develop the necessary skills to progress to further education or employment.”

Football Association of Ireland Community Development Manager Derek O’Neill said: “The Baldoyle ETB Training centre has been instrumental in supporting this new course which provides an innovative approach to teaching young people the basics of business administration through the lens of operating a football club. This is also a great opportunity for Shelbourne FC to establish roots in the Fingal / North County Dublin area and provide an educational opportunity for young people there The learners on the programme will also increase the club’s visibility locally and hopefully, some will go on to be excellent grassroots club administrators and volunteers of the future. The FAI League of Ireland department is fully supportive of Shelbourne’s community engagement and wishes the club every success in the delivery of this fantastic initiative. Hopefully, more League of Ireland clubs can look to cooperate with local ETBs to deliver similar courses in the future.”

About Shelbourne Football Club

Founded in 1895, Shelbourne Football Club is a leading professional football club based in North Dublin. Shels, as commonly referred to, has won 13 League of Ireland titles along with 10 national cups. The Tolka Park side compete in both the SSE Airtricity League and FAI Women’s National League and has a thriving Academy based at the Athletic Union League in North Dublin with over 450 boys and girls.

About Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB/Training Centre Baldoyle

Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB) is an education provider and is one of 16 ETB’s throughout the country governed by ETBI.  The administrative area covered by DDLETB reaches from Balbriggan in North County Dublin, to Dún Laoghaire in South County Dublin and Lucan in West County Dublin.

DDLETB’s vision is to actively lead the provision of high quality education and training. DDLETB’S mission is to provide a wide range of education and training programmes, services and support to children, young people and adults across the County Dublin and Dún Laoghaire region.

DDLETB puts the learner at the heart of everything we do. We believe that lifelong learning is key to personal development and wellbeing, social inclusion and economic prosperity.

Baldoyle Training Centre is part of the DDLETB and is based in Baldoyle, Dublin 13.  Baldoyle Training Centre delivers a range of full-time and part-time day courses along with a choice of night training options. Our courses are designed to equip the learner with the skills necessary to progress to further training options and/or seek employment.