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Forty-five students from three schools participated in a new careers initiative at the Amex Stadium. The Open Doors event, held on March 20, was organised by the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation in partnership with American Express. The initiative aims to provide students with insights into roles within professional football, the charity sector, and corporate sectors.
The students, aged 11 to 13, from Chailey School, King’s Academy Ringmer, and Peacehaven Community School, took part in football-themed challenges and tasks to understand roles such as customer services, sales, marketing, social media, communications, and technology. Forty-five pupils take part in football-themed career workshops (Image: American Express) They were also given a guided tour of the Amex Stadium to showcase the various roles and departments within the football club. Ten American Express volunteers worked with the students throughout the day, discussing their roles and career journeys, and providing support with key employability skills such as teamwork and presentation skills.
Interactive tasks introduce pupils to roles in media, sales, and tech (Image: American Express) Lucy Fenwick, vice president at American Express, said: "Open Doors provides a fantastic platform for students to engage with professionals, explore real-world insights, different career pathways, and gain confidence in their own abilities. "We hope this experience has given them a valuable introduction to the world of work. "Investing in future talent to support our local communities to thrive is crucial, and we are proud to support initiatives like this.
" The Open Doors initiative is set to deliver ten sessions during the 2024-25 season, reaching up to 450 students from across Sussex. Guided stadium tour highlights diverse roles in professional football (Image: American Express) Rob Josephs, employability and education manager at the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation, said: "The programme aims to bridge the gap between education and employment by providing hands-on activities, industry insights, and skills-building exercises to equip students for thinking about their future careers. "It is an exciting opportunity for young people to hear about careers in sport, charity, and corporate sectors.
"Interacting directly with professionals brings workplace roles, responsibilities, and deliverables to life in an interesting and engaging way." The initiative combines the power of football with the experience and business skills of American Express colleagues, helping participants develop career awareness and explore key employability skills. The Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation is the official charity of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club.
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