The end of summer saw the launch of GPW Recruitments newest division, Rugby League Recruitment. The new division is focussed on organising training and work experience for current players in rugby league to give them a head start in their career after professional rugby.
Many professional rugby players have struggled to find suitable work when they retire from the sport. Rugby League Recruitment is set to combat this problem by organising work placements for the players around their training, to give them industry experience, and college courses tailored to their needs.
The initiative has had huge coverage in the press including a feature on Sky Sports which was aired before the recent Saints match against Huddersfield.
This week Rugby League Recruitment has placed its first player into work. Saints centre Jon Wilkin has started an eight week placement at Carmel College in St Helens where he will be getting a taste of everything from teaching and lesson planning to HR and finance. Of course it would be a crime to have a Saint star like Wilkin at the College without him giving the Rugby team a pointer or two. So, Wilkin will also be involved in coaching and skills training in the sports department.
Nick Burnham, Vice Principal of Carmel College made the following comment,
“We are really delighted to be involved in a scheme providing players with such a valuable experience whilst at the same time giving our students inspirational input from elite sportsmen. Jon has already made a big impact on students and staff and we hope that his time with us will be equally rewarding for him.”
Wilkin began his placement on Tuesday morning and stated,
“I’m excited to get stuck in. The placement will allow me to gain skills and experience that I can put on my CV to help me stand out from other candidates when applying for work outside of rugby. I’m also hoping that my involvement in different departments will give we a well rounded view of how the college functions, and will give me an idea of where I could potentially take my career after rugby.”
With more placements in the pipeline Rugby League Recruitment is set to make a huge impact on player welfare throughout rugby league. Mark Parish, Managing Director of GPW Recruitment, and former student at Carmel College had the following to say,
“It’s great to be involved with Carmel College again after so many years. There have been some fantastic developments there since I was a student. I’m confident that this placement will be mutually beneficial for Wilkin and the College and I am delighted that we were able to arrange this for them.”