The Sportsafe Academy – from classroom to career!

Learn the Sportsafe way with Mini-Inspector Days, Work Experience Placements and Apprenticeships

Established in 1997, Sportsafe already has an impressive history of providing successful work experience placements and apprenticeships in a wide range of careers.

We are now delighted to be able to further support the next generation through our Sportsafe Academy by working with pupils, students and trainees all the way through from the primary classroom to launching a successful career.

Read on to see which stage of the Sportsafe Academy best suits your requirements and interests – will you enrich your younger pupils’ learning through the fun of a Mini-Inspector Day or are you looking for the training and career opportunities provided by our placements and apprenticeships?

Helping people with little or no previous experience.

At the Sportsafe Academy, we specialise in helping people with little or no previous experience to gain valuable skills and make a career in the sports industry.

We offer employment or training opportunities for those who might otherwise struggle to find work, and we work to employ local people wherever possible. We also offer work experience placements, so that students can learn skills whilst getting hands-on experience in their chosen field.

By offering local jobs and helping disadvantaged people get access to training and employment opportunities, we’re helping our communities grow stronger as well as supporting families who need it most.

Register Your Interest Today

Employing local workforce

The Sportsafe Academy works with schools, colleges and universities to promote sustainability in sport through apprenticeships, work experience placements, employing a local workforce for the customer’s contract and other initiatives. Sportsafe helps disadvantaged people to access employment or training. We provide a mentoring and career advice service to young people and engage with schools to promote sustainability.

We offer apprenticeships, work experience placements, and employ local workers for our customers’ contracts. Our projects help us to engage with schools to promote sustainability, while also helping us to help disadvantaged people access employment or training. We understand that many people cannot afford expensive courses and training, so we free work placements and paid apprenticeships for those who need them most. We also help disadvantaged people access employment or training by offering apprenticeships and job placements. This enables us to support our communities by making sure everyone has access to quality training in this important field.

Sportsafe Academy Brand Ambassadors

Mini Inspector Days

Mini-Inspector Days offer your pupils a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look.

Our involvement with the local community starts early as, through the Sportsafe Academy, we offer schools the opportunity to host innovative Mini-Inspector Days.

These courses support the curriculum and enrich teaching and learning opportunities. Your pupils will get a behind-the-scenes, hands-on, interactive look at how Sportsafe Engineers inspect the school’s sports and play equipment and begin to appreciate the care and maintenance skills behind safe use and enjoyment of these resources.

Learning Outcomes

  • Being able to spot safety hazards during PE lessons and break times.
  • Understanding of how sports and play apparatus works.
  • Knowledge about the materials from which the school’s sports and play equipment is made.
  • Understanding how the appropriate use and regular maintenance of sports and play equipment can prolong the product life contributing to a reduction in waste and protecting the environment.

Mini Inspector Days are a fun way to engage your pupils with the topic of sports equipment safety.

They will see how we inspect the equipment, and you may be able to discuss with your students whether they would like this as a career choice! You can register your interest in offering your pupils a Mini Inspector Day to support the curriculum and enrich your teaching by completing the form below.

The Sportsafe Academy creates working environments where young people are inspired to make a difference. Inspire your students and create a great work experience for them with our work experience and apprenticeship programmes.

Register Your Interest Today

Work Experience Placements and Apprenticeships

Sportsafe work experience is a great opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge you need to help you get your first job in the industry.

The Sportsafe Academy offers work experience and apprenticeship opportunities for students across the UK. Training programmes include sports equipment inspection and maintenance, sales, finance, customer service, and warehousing. These placements combine theoretical training with practical job experience.

Our apprenticeships are designed to provide students with the very specific skills and experience they need to succeed in their chosen area of expertise. Our apprentices gain a nationally recognised qualification whilst working with like-minded people, handling challenging learning opportunities, earning a salary and having fun.

Register Your Interest Today

Apprentice / Trainee Success Stories

Joe’s Success Story

Having graduated from Anglia Ruskin University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Exercise in 2018, Joe sought a career in the sports industry and applied to Sportsafe as an Apprentice Estimator. While assisting the Estimating Team in producing repair quotations for sportsafe inspection clients, Joe gained valuable skills and experience, allowing him to complete his apprenticeship after a year and become a Sales Estimator.

During his two years in the role, Joe was producing quality repair quotations for the company’s clients, including schools and blue lamp services, and helped to train a new Apprentice Estimator.

He then decided to take a different career path and left Sportsafe. Only just six months after joining the new company, Joe realised that Sportsafe was an incomparably better employer in terms of the work environment and the type of work he was doing. Joe had the opportunity to return to Sportsafe as a Projects Estimator and Planner in December 2021.

Since then, Joe has excelled in this new role using his skills and industry knowledge to help Sportsafe deliver fantastic indoor and outdoor installation projects ranging from sports hall flooring to in-ground football goals.

Shaun’s Success Story

Shaun joined Sportsafe in 2013 as an Apprentice Estimator. In his first role at the company, Shaun assisted Senior Estimators in producing customer repair quotations based on sports equipment inspection reports. His practical training at Sportsafe was accompanied by a professional apprenticeship course. He had the full support of everyone in the team and at Sportsafe, helping him become a confident and well-regarded member of the team.

After successfully completing his apprenticeship, Shaun was promoted to a Sales Estimator role, in which he excelled and brought invaluable skills and experience to the team gained during his first year as an apprentice. Having spent four years in the new position, Shaun had the opportunity to join Sportsafe’s Projects division as a Projects Administrator. He was responsible for producing indoor and outdoor installation quotations for projects such as division netting and multi-use games areas.

Having shown a strong ability to manage projects and teams as a Projects Administrator, Shaun was appointed as a Projects Indoor Manager. In his fist managerial role, he was responsible for the complete delivery of sports hall installations. After proving to be an excellent manager, Shaun became the Head of Projects, taking full responsibility for leading the planning and installation teams across Sportsafe’s indoor and outdoor project divisions.

In just under a year in the Head of Projects role, Shaun successfully delivered 100s of indoor and outdoor installations to Sportsafe clients across the UK, providing excellent leadership to all teams and improving customer service. It increased the overall customer satisfaction and enabled the company to grow at a fantastic rate.

In 2020, Shaun took the opportunity to become Sportsafe’s Operations Manager using his management and leadership skills and seven years of industry experience to successfully head up the Service and Engineer Teams nationwide. Since Shaun’s appointment as Operations Manager, Sportsafe’s inspection, supply, installation, maintenance services have been at their finest, with more customers than ever coming on board and an ever-growing number of projects being completed across the country.

Owen’s Success Story

Owen joined Sportsafe in 2017 as an Apprentice Warehouse Operative. He demonstrated great attention to detail and was meticulous in his approach. Owen was able to communicate at all levels from his first day at Sportsafe. He always kept his working environment tidy and organised, and he was willing to learn at all times. During his time as an apprentice, Owen was supportive to his colleagues and provided excellent internal and external customer service taking pride in his work.

In 2020, Owen we given the opportunity to become a permanent member of the Warehouse Team. He reports to Josh Oakley – Warehouse & H&S Manager – who is one of the Sportsafe Academy Ambassadors. Owen follows daily planned tasks as per warehouse diary and adheres to Sportsafe’s health and safety rules and policy. He is always eager to learn new skills and gain new product knowledge.

Dan’s Success Story

Dan’s career at Sportsafe began in 2016 when he joined the company as an Apprentice Customer Service Confirmer. He quickly demonstrated a fantastic ability to provide excellent customer service. During his year as an apprentice, Dan learned the ins and outs of arranging sports equipment inspection and maintenance appointments for customers across the education, public and private sectors, helping the company grow and maintain high customer satisfaction.

After completing his apprenticeship in 2017, Dan had the opportunity to join the Service Department permanently as a Customer Service Administrator Confirmer. He’s been delivering excellent customer service ever since. His dedication and fantastic work ethic make him a great example to follow by every new person who joins his team.

Apprenticeships – Apply Now / Register Interest

Trainee Engineer

Duration:

52-week Programme as a Trainee following ISO17020 training plan with extensive practical works.

Learning outcome:
  • Full practical and theory knowledge of how and why inspections are carried out.
  • Full Practical and theoretical knowledge of repairs on general gymnasium equipment
  • Trampoline inspection and remediation
  • Outdoor groundwork knowledge both theory and practical
  • Full understanding of EN1176 standards
  • High-level inspections
Register Your Interest Today

Certified Training:

  • Use of power tools
  • Access equipment IPAF / PASMA  (Paid For by SS)
  • Abrasive Wheels  (Paid For by SS)
  • Health and safety  (Paid For by SS)

Competencies:

  • Able to adapt to change
  • Team player with strong determination to succeed
  • Hands-on can-do do attitude
  • Enthusiastic
  • Challenging, ambitious

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Apprentice Sales Estimator

The role is full-time; fast-paced and requires a high level of attention to detail and great organisational skills. You will be studying an Apprenticeship in Business Administration for approximately 15 months. This position, therefore, attracts an apprenticeship salary for the first 12 months.

Applicants will be excellent team players, and customers focused and have a strong work ethic and values which fit in with our own. Personality, energy, drive and tenacity are the key personal attributes of the successful candidate.

Register Your Interest Today

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Receive inspection reports directly from our engineer’s tablets and ensure these are filed and attached to the Access system.
  • To produce a quote for any recommendations from the inspection and that these are sent to our customers within 24 hours of the inspection.
  • To work with our supply base to source solutions and prices to complete bespoke quotations.
  • To update the CRM with correct customer information, contact details, email addresses for quotes etc. without fail.
  • To update the invoicing spreadsheet daily as per the sales department process to ensure each quote is followed to completion.
  • To answer incoming calls and deal with those enquiries effectively.
  • To have a full understanding of the Sales Manual and use it to help produce quotes.

In return we offer:

  • Apprenticeship support – Business Administration NVQ2
  • Auto enrolment Pension
  • Holiday Purchase Scheme
  • Group Life Insurance
  • Bike to Work Scheme
  • EAP
  • Corporate Flu Jab
  • Staff Welfare Fund

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Marketing Apprentice

Sportsafe UK has experienced consistent year-on-year growth of over 20% and is looking to not only continue this trend but develop the brand within the UK and expand the company to new international locations.

As part of our desire to grow and innovate, we are looking for a new Marketing Apprentice to join the Sportsafe UK team. The purpose of the role is to assist with the delivery of the marketing plan to meet company targets for retention growth and profitability.

Minimum Experience required:

No work experience is required but the experience of writing for a school/college paper or creating digital artwork would be advantageous.

Register Your Interest Today

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Assisting team members with day to day marketing tasks and coordinating marketing projects and activities as requested.
  • Organising the production of branded items such as stationery and merchandise.
  • Supporting the internal marketing team by coordinating and collating content.
  • Maintaining tracking systems for marketing campaigns and online activities.
  • Track competitor activity by keeping abreast of market changes and the marketing mix used by competitors.
  • Assisting with the production of artwork, sourcing images, print buying and checking copy.
  • Produce clear and concise written correspondence in the form of letters and emails.
  • Distribute internal marketing communications.
  • Upload content to Websites and Social Media Platforms.

Key Skills, Characteristics and Experience:

  • Working towards the Marketing NVQ Level 2
  • Confident and outgoing personality
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Well organised and self-motivated
  • Excellent command of written English with copy accuracy
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure and tight deadlines

Competencies:

  • Able to adapt to change
  • Team player with strong determination to succeed
  • Hands-on can-do do attitude
  • Enthusiastic
  • Challenging, ambitious

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Apprentice Purchasing Manager

In this fast-paced role, you will support the Purchasing Manager and be responsible for key areas of the day-to-day activities of the Purchasing function. To ensure the timely receipt of supplies into the company and ensuring accurate stock levels are maintained and working productively to follow up on the delivery of goods, pricing and stock availability.

Register Your Interest Today

The Apprentice Purchaser will be expected to perform any of the following tasks including but not limited to:

  • Raising of Purchase Orders when Sales Orders cannot be fulfilled from stock.
  • Ensure purchase order placements give all requisite information, and allow goods & services delivered to the Company to be “right first time, on time”.
  • Contact with suppliers for price checks, delivery date confirmations, delivery chasing, and supplier-related queries.
  • Entering Delivery Notes.
  • Being responsive to customer and supplier queries promptly via telephone or email.
  • Developing supplier relationships to enhance the quality of supplier performance and responsiveness.
  • Archive all completed paperwork for the Purchasing department, accurately, in the appropriate filing systems.
  • Ensuring accurate due dates on all outstanding purchase orders.
  • Follow company procedures correctly including record keeping and updating.
  • Be a pivotal member of the Purchasing & Admin team enabling the department to reach and exceed clearly all qualitative and quantitative targets.
  • View the wider Company as our primary customer, and always display outstanding levels of customer service.
  • Work together with and fully support Service Departments in reaching company goals and responding quickly to company and customer needs.
  • To abide by company rules, and Health and Safety and Quality policies.

Key Skills, Characteristics and Experience

  • To fulfil this role, you will need to learn the basics of MS Office applications.
  • You should have good attention to detail and an ability to work to deadlines.
  • Confident verbal and written communicator.
  • Approach each day with a ‘can-do’ positive attitude and display the ability to identify problems and solutions.
  • You will be a team player, flexible and able to work independently with a result-orientated work ethic.
  • To adhere to and demonstrate the company culture and promote this to all team members of staff.

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Apprentice Warehouse Operative

To fulfil this role you will need to demonstrate an ability to have good attention to detail and be meticulous in your approach. You will need to be able to communicate at all levels and have an inquisitive mind. You must pride yourself on working in a tidy and organised environment and be willing to learn at all times. You must always be willing to support colleagues and provide excellent internal and external customer service taking pride in your work.

Register Your Interest Today

The Apprentice warehouse operative will be expected to perform any of the following tasks including but not limited to:

  • Understand and read sales orders and engineers reports to establish what is required
  • Pick the right parts and zone as per the department process
  • Understand and follow the sales order packing process correctly and accurately
  • Follow planned tasks as per warehouse diary
  • Read and understand internal orders and processes, developing knowledge and skills to help produce them
  • Be part of the stock monitoring process and feed into the stock replenishment process
  • Understand and follow goods inward process and outgoing delivery process
  • Be part of the warehouse team feeding into dealing with queries and returns
  • Maintain a clean and tidy working environment both inside and outside the warehouse facility
  • Help other team members, when required including engineers
  • Support the Service Department with planned jobs where warehouse support is required on sites
  • Be a company ambassador at all times
  • Support Company and Department objectives at all times
  • Adhere to the company H&S policy at all times and attend the monthly H&S meet
  • Help other team members, when required
  • Be a company ambassador at all times
  • Support Company objectives at all times

Key Tasks:

  • Follow daily planned tasks as per warehouse diary
  • Follow and ensure you understand your Manager’s instructions, asking for clarity if unsure
  • Develop an understanding of and follow warehouse processes
  • Follow Health and Safety rules and policy
  • Keep your allocated area of the warehouse/outdoor area tidy, swept and clean on a once-daily basis

Qualification after study

  • NVQ Warehousing

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Apprentice Accounts Assistant

In this cross-functional role reporting to the Procurement & Contracts Manager you will be responsible for effective, timely and accurate support in Procurement, Sales Invoicing, Sales Orders and any other duties within the Accounts Team.

Register Your Interest Today

The Apprentice Accounts Assistant will be expected to perform any of the following tasks including but not limited to:

  • Raising of Purchase Orders when Sales Orders cannot be fulfilled from stock.
  • Ensure purchase order placements give all requisite information, and allow goods & services delivered into the Company to be ‘right first time, on time’.
  • Contact with suppliers for price checks, delivery date confirmations, delivery chasing, and supplier-related queries.
  • Entering of Delivery Notes.
  • To process inbound purchase orders received from customers and collate quote information in order to raise a Sales Order on Access Dimensions. Produce a ‘sales pack’ for internal departments to enable works to be diarised and completed.
  • Answer phone calls and process Hotel requests when required.
  • Provide general support to all colleagues within the Accounts & Admin Department (and the wider Company) where necessary, as instructed. To also include duties within Purchase Ledger, Credit Card Processing and Credit Control as/when required during periods where additional coverage is required.
  • Archive all completed paperwork for both Sales Invoicing & Purchase Ledger, accurately, in the appropriate filing systems.
  • Follow company procedures correctly including record keeping and updating
  • Be a pivotal member of the Accounts & Admin team enabling the department to reach and exceed clearly all qualitative and quantitative targets.
  • View the wider Company as our primary customer, and always display outstanding levels of customer service.

Key Skills, Characteristics and Experience

  • To fulfil this role you should be computer literate and proficient in the MS Office suite of packages.
  • You should have good attention to detail.
  • Good communicator at all levels.
  • You will demonstrate excellent problem solving, accuracy, planning and organizational skills.
  • You will have an excellent telephone manner and administration skills with a strong customer service focus.
  • You will be a team player, flexible and able to work independently with a results-orientated work ethic.
  • The company is constantly improving processes and procedures so you will have to welcome and embrace change. Exemplary customer service skills are essential together with a clear passion to work to high standards with excellent attention to detail and deliver on targets, to understand the need for improvement and be able to competently use the company Access Dimensions system.
  • To adhere to and demonstrate the company culture and promote this to all team members of staff.
  • To abide by company rules, Health & Safety and Quality policies.

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Apprentice Customer Service

As the Apprentice Customer Service, you’ll be responsible for arranging sports equipment inspection and maintenance appointments for Sportsafe customers. You will also provide them with regular updates, and liaise with suppliers, engineers, and other departments to ensure timely delivery of goods and services to maintain high customer satisfaction.

Register Your Interest Today

The Apprentice Customer Service will be expected to perform any of the following tasks including but not limited to:

  • Logistical planning to fill the diary to clearly identified targets by confirming service and repair bookings with our customers to allow accurate and timely preparation and completion of weekly run sheets and timesheets for engineers.
  • Bringing issues to the attention of the Operations Manager where special attention is needed to ensure 2nd men, plant hire etc. is arranged and booked as appropriate.
  • Reach clearly identified confirmation targets set for you promptly.
  • Be responsible for updating the CRM/Acloud system for the customers assigned to you.
  • Be responsible for raising all service sales orders, these must always be raised to a minimum of 3 months in advance.
  • Follow company procedures correctly including record keeping and updating for Acloud, CRM processes, raising service orders and call-outs, following queries and booking all orders with customers.
  • Be responsible for sending good, clear management information to points of contact at assigned councils/contract holders.
  • Working closely with other team members, the operations Manager and Engineers to ensure any returned work is rebooked and reconfirmed, reducing the return figures and maintaining a high level of customer service.
  • Be a pivotal member of the Service Department team enabling the department to reach and exceed set targets for confirmations, diary value and returns percentages.
  • Always follow high levels of customer service.
  • Be positive and motivated in your approach, providing support to all within the Service Team as well as the Service Department Manager.

Key Skills, Characteristics and Experience

  • Raising all service sales orders for your contracts. These must be raised to a minimum of 3 months in advance at all times. A daily log must also be kept.
  • Confirm diary bookings, reaching and exceeding targets, keeping a daily log.
  • Being fully aware of confirmations to be made for the immediate 4 weeks, cross referenced against the diary and update these details onto the service meeting minutes weekly.
  • Keeping Aclound and CRM records up to date and ensuring they are sent as appropriate.
  • Review returns board throughout the course of each day for the jobs you are accountable for and ensure that work is rebooked for same week where possible.
  • Raising all service sales orders for your contracts. These must be raised to a minimum of 3 months in advance at all times. A daily log must also be kept.
  • Confirm diary bookings, reaching and exceeding targets, keeping a daily log.
  • Being fully aware of confirmations to be made for the immediate 4 weeks, cross referenced against the diary and update these details onto the service meeting minutes weekly.
  • Keeping Aclound and CRM records up to date and ensuring they are sent as appropriate.
  • Review returns board throughout the course of each day for the jobs you are accountable for and ensure that work is rebooked for same week where possible.

This is what our staff say;

“Great people and a warm atmosphere”

“Progressive company always developing and creating new challenges”

“Perfect opportunity for training and development”

“Great emphasis on team”

Register Your Interest Today

Fill In the form below and a member of our team will be in touch with you