Ayrshire College has announced a new signing with Ayr United FC to help deliver an advanced apprenticeship programme for the Club’s youth players during Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
There are seven apprentices involved including Scotland youth internationals Ollie Ecrepont (18), Dylan Watret (18) and Jamie Hislop (16), in addition to new signing Kenzie Mitchell (16). Completing the line-up are Max Guthrie (18), currently on loan at Stranraer, Lucas McRoberts (18) on loan at East Stirling and Scott Tomlinson (19) on loan at Stenhousemuir.
Ayrshire College is the only college in Scotland currently working with a football club to support its apprenticeship scheme and the award being undertaken by the players is one of the highest ‘technical’ apprenticeships offered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
This initiative sees the Ayr United players working towards an Achieving Excellence in Sports Performance (Level 8) Modern Apprenticeship, an award endorsed by the Scottish FA and awarded by the SQA. This sporting apprenticeship provides high-performance athletes the opportunity to continue in education while they are attempting to reach their goal of becoming a full time and professional player. The qualification, which incorporates subjects like nutrition, communication and technical skills, has been designed to maximise employability for players.
Max Guthrie said: “It’s good coming in after training to get this experience with Bob and Jerry. It’s an additional thing to the training that we do and give us another option. I’m enjoying it. We’ve gone over health and safety and nutrition so far. We’ve still got a while to go but we’re getting through it quite quickly, so it’s been good.”
Gerry is an Ayr United legend after scoring the winning goal on his debut as an 18-year-old against Kilmarnock on New Year’s Day 1975. He continued to play for The Honest Men for five years after that before moving onto Queen of the South and Hamilton FC.
Bob, from Ayr, is a lifelong Ayr United fan and attended his first match with his dad in 1968. Both men went on to have long careers in teaching, with Gerry worked as a PE teacher at Kyle Academy in Ayr and Bob latterly as a guidance teacher at Marr College in Troon.
Both were encouraged out of retirement by Graeme Mathie, Managing Director at Ayr United, to take on these newly created roles at the Club, supporting younger players to gain additional qualifications while they’re still in the early stages of their careers.
Graeme Mathie said: “The Club has been involved in this apprenticeship previously, but this new intake is the first in my time here. I’m delighted that we have the support of Bob and Gerry, both recently retired teachers with a very strong connection to Ayr United.
“The programme itself is a perfect framework for what we want to develop here, which is talented young people who can take responsibility for their development, using the array of staff and technologies we now have at our disposal at the football club. Of the eight modules, the five core aspects involve the boys detailing plans to improve themselves technically, tactically, physically and mentally, in addition to highlighting how they will use nutrition as part of their development.
“I’d like to thank all the staff at Ayrshire College for their input into reinstating this apprenticeship and I’ve no doubt it will reap huge rewards for the boys and for the club going forward.”
Stuart Millar, Head of Employer Engagement & Innovation at Ayrshire College, added: “We are pleased to be working alongside Ayr United at this exciting time in the Club’s history. Through this high-level apprenticeship programme, Ayr United is creating real opportunities for the growth of their young players, as well as developing their employability beyond football. At Ayrshire College, we see first-hand the benefits of work-based learning for apprentices, providing them with opportunities that support their future careers, no matter what path they choose.”
