The Department for Education and the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) are joining forces to try and encourage more players to start a new career as teachers when their playing days come to an end.
The PFA is the union for professional footballers in England, representing players from the Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Women’s Super League (WSL).
The union offers a wide range of support and services to members. It provides education grants to players, allowing them to take a range of vocational and academic courses as they prepare to transition into new careers once their playing days have ended.
Last season the PFA invested almost £2 million in education services, providing over a thousand individual grants to current and former players.
Representatives from the PFA met with the Minister for Schools, the Rt Hon Nick Gibbs MP, in a meeting secured and led by Justin Tomlinson and Ben Bradley, the MPs for North Swindon and Mansfield.
The MPs had previously met with the PFA to discuss issues with recruitment into education roles, with Ben Bradley leading a parliamentary debate where he raised the need to open up careers in teaching to more people.
Justin Tomlinson, MP for North Swindon: “I am absolutely thrilled that the PFA, who provide fantastic support to professional footballers as they transition into new careers, are willing to work so proactively with the Department for Education.
“Having come from a family of teachers I know first-hand what a rewarding opportunity this can be, so as the Government seeks to recruit a more diverse range of teachers this is a real win – win.”
PFA Director of External Affairs, Ben Wright: “We are very grateful to Justin and Ben for securing this meeting and recognising the huge potential within the PFA’s network of players and former players.
“We help our members go onto new and rewarding careers in a wide range of roles and sectors, including teaching, when they finish playing.
“We look forward to working with the Department for Education to look at ways of encouraging more players to consider taking that path from the pitch to the classroom.”
