10 Minutes with Aaliyah Jordan

Can you give our readers a bit of background on yourself and when you knew you wanted to work in the sports industry?

My name is Aaliyah Jordan; I’m currently on an 18-month work placement programme at the Premier League, where I have been able to work across three different teams for six-month periods. Before joining the Premier League, I had no experience working in the sports industry; however, I’ve been around football most of my life, starting from watching my older brother’s journey within an academy. At that time, I was a 6-year-old who was not too interested in attending training sessions and matches, but as I grew older, I learnt to understand and enjoy the sport a lot more. This, in turn, led me to believe that this could be a potential career path for me, as I wanted to learn more about the sport and all of the facets that must work together to make it happen. I also loved the thought of waking up and enjoying the work I would do daily in a field that I find joy in. I enjoy the unity that football brings worldwide and am more than glad to be a part of an organisation that hugely contributes to this.

You mentioned that you are currently on a work placement at The Premier League. Can you tell us more about what that entails?

As I have worked across three departments at the Premier League, specifically Commercial, Games Programme, and Academy Player Care, I have been lucky enough to work on various projects with a range of great colleagues around the business. These include assisting with the organisation, delivery, operations and logistics of many events for our academy players and club staff. My role also involves providing administrative assistance for many tasks and general support to all teams I have enjoyed being part of.

What does a typical day at The Premier League look like for you?

Depending on the activity at the time, days can range from being in the office undertaking administrative duties and having meetings with internal and external colleagues to travelling regionally for a wide range of events. A typical day for me at this current moment is sourcing venues for several events that we have upcoming and liaising with venue staff on logistics and plans to ensure their smooth running. I would say that no two days look the same, and that is definitely one of the things that I enjoy most, as it keeps the work interesting and never feels monotonous.

What are you enjoying the most about the placement so far?

I am enjoying the wide range of experiences I’ve had, including attending the Hall of Fame event and helping organise events to support our club staff. I like the fact that my experience has not been limited only to the three departments that I have been in; I have been able to express interest in other areas of the business and have been allowed to shadow and attend projects that others are working on, which has helped me to gain a broader scope and understanding of the organisation. I think that the most significant takeaway and thing that I have enjoyed most about the placement is figuring out, for the first time in my life, the area in which I would like my career path to go down.  

What are three key skills you think are essential to have when working at a major sports rightsholder like The Premier League?

1. It’s vital to be a team player. Working in such a fast-paced environment, it’s important to know that you can rely on the support of colleagues if necessary, and they can rely on you to complete tasks to a high standard.

2. Resilience is also highly key as you have to be able to push through challenging tasks and moments and not allow situations to overwhelm you completely.

3. Communication is essential to maintaining good relationships with colleagues, clubs, partners, and other stakeholders.

How did you get this opportunity to work at The Premier League? If you had an application process, what did it involve?

I saw the opportunity advertised on LinkedIn and thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to apply for, as I knew I wanted to work within football but wasn’t exactly sure in what capacity. The initial process involved filling out an application form with general questions. This was followed by an informal Zoom call and an assessment day at the PL office, which included the formal interview and other tasks, and I was notified a couple of days later that I was successful!

One of the biggest challenges for young people who want to work in sports is the lack of knowledge about available opportunities. Do you know of any initiatives The Premier League runs to help young people gain industry experience?

The Work Placement Programme is an example of a great initiative that the Premier League has to help young people gain industry experience. I also know they have had a couple of other placements and apprenticeships in different areas of the business, so it is definitely about keeping an eye on the website and LinkedIn and seeing what other opportunities may arise. I would say that it is just crucial to keep looking! Opportunities often come when we seek them long and hard.

Did you face any challenges trying to get into the industry? If so, how were you able to overcome them?

I think that the main challenge, to begin with, was not knowing exactly what I wanted to do within the industry, so I did not know where to look or what I was looking for. I overcame this hurdle by using LinkedIn consistently, simply typing in ‘football jobs’ and seeing what came up as an entry-level job and if it aligned with me. I believe it’s important not to think things are set in stone; it’s okay to try something new and perhaps out of your comfort zone and then assess whether that is something you want to stay in or try something else. Its very normal to experience knockbacks, this means that specific role or company wasn’t meant for you, but using that to fuel the hunger to keep going is the only way to persevere until you find what is meant for you. This mindset helped me narrow down what I wanted to pursue.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a young person who is looking to enter into the sports industry?

Get on LinkedIn, build up your connections with people in roles that interest you and don’t be afraid to reach out to them, find out about their career path and ask questions that can benefit you and your journey! Always show your willingness to learn. I would not say I am a football expert, and you don’t need to be, but showing the passion you have to make an impact and contribute is just as important. Don’t give up on looking because the moment you stop, a great opportunity could be just around the corner!

What more do you think needs to be done to improve diversity and representation in the sports industry?

More programmes like this in sports organisations would be great, where the focus is on giving individuals of underrepresented backgrounds opportunities that they may not get otherwise. There is so much talent out there, and it would be a massive shame if it were overlooked just because the opportunities weren’t available. It is essential to see examples of people you can relate to in whatever way it may be to fill you with the confidence and belief that you could potentially go on and do the same and more!

If you were to choose one person to shine a light on in the industry, who would it be and why?

I would say Andrew DuCille, Leon Mann, and the BCOMS (Black Collective of Media in Sport) team. They have done great work to provide young people with lots of experience that they may not have been able to otherwise, particularly in the field they are interested in. I have always seen such great testimonials from the cohorts and alumni of BCOMs, and hopefully, they will continue to create these special and valuable experiences for people.

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