hired@UCB helps cricket-mad student secure dream placement with Warwickshire

A sports student at University College Birmingham has praised staff for helping him to secure his dream placement at one of the country's elite cricket clubs.

Third year BA Sport and Fitness Studies student Matthew Wilson received help from the hired@UCB employability team to bag a two-month spell working in strength and conditioning at Warwickshire County Cricket Club as part of his Work Based Learning for Sport module.

It was the ideal opportunity for cricket-mad Matthew, who had the chance to work with the club's academy players as well as meeting and supporting senior pros at Edgbaston, including England's five-time Ashes winner Ian Bell.

"I've played cricket since I was about seven or eight," said Matthew. "What I've been doing on placement is the job I want to do.

"It was good to actually get involved and coach. Some places you go to, you are just watching and not really doing anything. To be able to get involved and work with the players, to test my knowledge, it was good."

Matthew, who has previously worked in strength and conditioning with England Ladies as well as his home county club Yorkshire, explained how he had initially made contact with Warwickshire himself before being given support in securing his placement by hired@UCB employability tutor Martyn Phillips.

"I couldn't have done it without Martyn," he said. "I got my foot in the door, then Martyn took control and pushed further to get me in.

"He passed me contacts and made contact with Warwickshire. He was communicating with them and we worked it between us to get in."

And Matthew hopes the experience will serve him well in future, having had the opportunity to network and enhance his skills on placement.

"I've developed my communication, leadership, adaptability and listening skills," he said. "And confidence as well - you need to be confident with the pros because the banter is flying everywhere!

"I've made friends for life at Warwickshire. I've got contacts and phone numbers, and the players were saying I could come back and see them."

hired@UCB is the University's dedicated careers, employability and placements service for students and alumni, with specialist staff supporting students to build their skills and find work opportunities to match their career aims.

Sport Employability Tutor Martyn Phillips said: "As a massive cricket fan, this was a dream placement for Matt and he was fortunate to gain knowledge and experience working alongside the excellent strength and conditioning coaches at the club.

"This is the first time that a UCB student has been on placement at Warwickshire CCC and we are excited about working with them in the future."

For more information about the support provided by our dedicated employability team, visit the hired@UCB page.

Find out more about our range of sports courses at UCB here.