Leeds United College along with their education partners 5 Global and Uninettuno University are supplying a free diploma in sport to full-time employees at the club.

The decision was made to offer staff an educational course that could be undertaken online, whilst everyone is working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown, with the club looking at how they could provide members of staff with new opportunities to learn, gain knowledge and new skills whilst earning new qualifications.

The course is a four-week programme and officially started on Monday 13^th April for those who chose to take on the diploma: Leadership in Football.

Delivered online, there are weekly webinar sessions held for students with guest speakers, as well as pre-recorded lectures provided to be watched every week and case studies from famous sports and football leaders to study. There is a variety of topics covered as part of the course, including an introduction to leadership, behaviours in leaders, reflective self-appraisal, the mindset of success, developing a style of leadership and leadership lessons from football and sport.

Professor Vincent English is leading the course and is a professor of strategic management at University Uninettuno in Rome, he said: “These are troubled times and employers need to do more to support their staff, not only in facilitating a new working regime but for their general mental and emotional wellbeing.

“While some companies have done that, there is no other employer that I am aware of that has gone even further. Leeds United contacted me to arrange a series of professional executive education courses for their staff while the country was in lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. They wanted a course that was not only available online but engaging as well. The result was a University accredited diploma in Leadership in Sport.

“Leeds United have set a high bar and is a beacon for others to follow. Providing free education to their workers not only inspires them but reduces that sense of isolation. At the end of the executive diploma, they will be proud University graduates.”

Angus Kinnear, Chief Executive at Leeds United Football Club, added: "As a club and with the difficulties everyone is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the moment, we wanted to try and take some positives out of it and offer staff the opportunity to take on a new challenge at home that would enable them to learn, stay engaged and ultimately earn a new qualification that will only be beneficial to them as they each progress in their careers.

"The Leeds United College and their partners at 5 Global and Uninettuno University have been fantastic in getting the course ready for our staff members, they'll be hosting weekly webinars and supplying lots of materials online for employees to study and fingers crossed it is something that really helps to inspire those taking part.

"On behalf of everyone at the club, we hope you are all staying safe and staying home, it is an unusual time for everyone with so many uncertainties so if you can find a new challenge to take part in or a new skill to learn, now is the perfect time."