Sunderland College Sports Academy has strengthened its sponsorship agreement with South Shields Football Club.
Sunderland College Sports Academy has been a valued partner of South Shields Football Club since 2017, acting as the education partner for the club’s 16-19 Academy. This season, the college increased the level of its support by adding crowd and pitch-facing advertising hoardings and became a sleeve sponsor for the South Shields Football Club 16-19 Academy.
In an interview, Sunderland College’s Head of Sports Academies Michele Di Mascio said he was excited about the partnership:
“South Shields FC is a fantastic club that is both ambitious and enthusiastic in progressing and developing. We are proud to partner with them and hope it continues long-term. The experiences to date have been fantastic, and it is great to see so many of our student-athletes, past and present, making their debuts for the first team but also being successful when transitioning away from the club.
We share the same values and approach to working with young people in the area and use this to provide a fantastic learning opportunity for talented athletes. Looking forward to the next chapter of this partnership.”
Sunderland College’s support extends beyond the pitch, as they have also partnered with South Shields Football Club to develop talent off the pitch by taking on multiple apprentices in various roles. The multifaceted nature of a football club, has allowed for the opportunity to further the education of select-talented individuals on their way into full-time work, and giving them first hand experience of life off the pitch, behind the scenes in a football club.
Michele Di Mascio further commented on this aspect of the partnership:
“The college and club are going into the 7th year and has been going from strength to strength, expanding in size but now expanding with apprenticeships and other opportunities around the Football Club. The sponsorship includes being situated at the ground, both pitch facing and fan facing, and also having our logo on the Academy shirts for the new season.”
Carl Mowatt, Operations Director at South Shields Football Club, also shared his thoughts on the partnership:
“I am personally thrilled and so excited about the relationship with Sunderland College and the interaction with Michele Di Mascio at the club has been so positive and long may it continue.
It is so refreshing to be working in partnership with the College and great to see Apprenticeship and education for new starters and to encourage youngsters and give them a chance to get a run on the ladder and to develop into many great opportunities in sport.”
The college and football club will continue working closely to support and act as a catalyst for young talented individuals to develop both on and off the pitch.
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98% of our students progress to a positive destination
(*Destination data for Sunderland College students aged 16-18, academic year 2017/18).
Our achievement rates are well above the national average.
We are the College of the Year.
(*Top college nationally for BTECs, Pearson 2019)
100% of our HND and HNC students progressed to employment or further study.
(*Destination data, academic year 2016/17, HNC 19+)
We have recently invested £50 million in our facilities.
