The FBA empowering women to lead in football
For the last 8 years, The Football Business Academy (The FBA) has been a part of the Women in Football (WIF) #GetOnSide pledge, taking action to contribute to an improvement for women in the Football Industry. The FBA has awarded over 40 scholarships through The WIF pledge, and the Women Alumni are now taking the industry by storm. Working in clubs like Manchester City, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Chelsea FC, Seattle Sounders and more, along with organizations like UEFA, FIFA, and Mercury 13, it’s easy to see that Women have a place. However, according to a 2024 survey by WIF, 89% of women have experienced discrimination at work and this is rarely reported as no action is taken in most cases. But there is a surge in growth in Women’s football and 85% of female respondents along with 91% of male respondents believe that opportunities in the industry will get better.
Natalie Bowles and Gina Stein are two shining examples of The FBA Women Alumni and proof that the barriers can be broken, and opportunities do exist. Thriving together from our 9th Edition, these two have shown how hard work and dedication, along with long standing partnership and having each other’s back can make the dreams of being a Women in Football a reality.
Gina’s Journey: Turning Passion for Sustainability into a Career in Football
Gina, like many Alumni, found The FBA through social media. She had a passion for football, but she also knew that she wanted to make an impact in sustainability. She decided to complete a Masters in Global Business and Sustainability first and complete an internship in a football related setting. Finding that these paired well together, she moved forward with the The FBA program thanks to the help of the WIF scholarship.
After graduation when it came time to apply to jobs through The FBA’s continued career services offered, she was able to receive feedback on her applications, used The FBA as a reference, and had professors connect her to industry professionals to help prepare for interviews. “During my job search, the FBA family helped me throughout my application process – mainly to connect me with people in similar roles that I applied for. This helped me to prepare for interviews, to understand the roles, its tasks and needed skills, and to evaluate if I am a good fit for such a position.”
She landed her first role in football at the UEFA Euro 2024 as a Ticketing Account Coordinator but is now putting her passions of Sustainability and Football to work at RB Leipzig as a Sustainability Specialist. From graduation in August 2022 to finding a job she has a true passion for only two years later, Gina is a true example of how staying patient, trusting the process, putting in the hard work, and using her network can help you find a job you’ll love doing every day.
“The combination of relevant and up to date courses (such as sustainability, women’s football, etc.), the guaranteed internship and the networking opportunities made me choose the program. I was convinced that this was the perfect program to help me establish myself in the football industry.”
Finding Her Fit: How Natalie Turned Purpose into a Career in Player Care
Natalie always knew she wanted to work in football and decided to research Masters programs that could help her get there. It was important to her that she not only receive theoretical knowledge but also gain as much hands-on experience as she could. The FBA allowed her to do this through Networking events, a guaranteed internship and a hands-on 2-month Business Project which helped her understand which area of the industry she was most interested in. The networking opportunities and international students and lecturers are why she chose The FBA. “I wanted to know the realities of the industry and discover where I would fit best. The FBA was the most attractive one because of the placement, networking events and looking outside of the UK, where I am from.”
Realizing quickly during the program that Player Care was her goal, she started to share this information throughout the network she had built during the program. In the final Module, she received a link to a job opening for Member Services Executive at the League Managers Association. With confidence gained through The FBA, she applied and landed the job. This gave her a great introduction into football within the UK working with The FA, clubs from all levels and with other organizations.
Now, 2 years after graduating from The FBA, Natalie is in her dream role working for Crystal Palace FC as the Player Care Lead for the Women’s Academy. She says, “I am so proud that 2 years after graduating I achieved this, I thought it would take a lot longer. I would not have known my goal without The FBA showing me areas of the industry and helping me understand my strengths, skills and goals. There is so much reward in working with young players who have their whole careers ahead of them, whether inside or away from football. Being part of that journey provides development, variety, challenges and successes that will always make academies interesting.”
Sisters in Football: The Friendship That is Driving Success
Gina and Natalie entered The Football Business Academy together and found an instant bond. When they met, they knew they would be crucial to each other throughout and after the program. As they were both only 24 years old at the time, entering an already daunting industry and as women, the Networking Week was out of their comfort zone. Natalie says, “having never worked in the industry or been to a similar event, I felt I did not have much to contribute at the time and spent most of the time listening to panels. We had a workshop before the trip with advice on how to approach the event which really helped. The FBA staff were also present to speak to if needed. Having met Gina prior to this event, I was able to lean on her for support, and it made this experience much easier.”
Now they still lean on each other by helping with their CV’s and preparing for job interviews. To this day they stay in contact almost every day not just professionally but also personally. Gina says, “Natalie always supported me, and it was super helpful to have someone with a similar background, facing similar barriers or issues and going through the same journey in the football industry. Without this support system, I would have probably struggled much more along my journey, and it always helped me in understanding again what my own goals are and where I want to be in the future. Natalie says that Gina’s work ethic and commitment allow her to push herself more every day. She can bounce ideas off her and Gina offers her alternate views that she may not have seen otherwise. Gina sees Natalie’s journey as extremely inspiring. Her endurance and hard work to reach her goal has helped her through her own journey.
While they haven’t worked together professionally just yet, the two are currently in the process of developing a Women’s support group for The FBA’s Women Alumni and they do support each other through sharing insights in their current jobs, allowing them to discover new ideas and processes to take back to their everyday jobs. Both are examples of how The FBA isn’t your typical Master’s program. You become a part of the family and by networking constantly through the program you’ll meet people who want you to succeed and will help you along the way.
More Than a Program: A Network for Life
At The FBA, class sizes are small to offer personalized attention during the program. Natalie said that throughout if any candidate needed support, someone was always available. Staff were always present during the online sessions, at the networking events and in Lisbon, whether it be for professional support or just an informal chat.
The most impactful part for her as a woman in the program was the Women’s Football course with Nicole Allison. Nicole has experience in the industry at every level of the sport and is a part of the difference we see today. Natalie says, “having Nicole as a lecturer was inspiring in itself but the commitment she showed to female students and the support she has given, has really helped women in the course to progress and believe they can make a difference.” Additionally, she gained confidence during her student business project and internship having seen how the inner workings of clubs, associations and other organizations. The opportunity to meet so many professionals allowed her to expand her network and have helped support her in her career today. Without The FBA, she would have never made most of the connections she has today.
Gina said that doors were always open, and she received support whenever she needed it. She was able to receive guidance with connecting to relevant stakeholders in the industry. She says, “Until today, I believe that program has made me a part of The FBA family that will only become stronger and bigger in the future. It has been a support system and automatically opens opportunities to exchange with other alumni and professors about industry trends, challenges and is a continuous inspiration to improve and grow. Still in touch with some professors, she has found mentorship through them and can reach out if need be for career advice.
The FBA Experience and What It Really Takes
The program’s online classes in the first 6 months offer Candidates the opportunity to have a diverse and international cohort, along with professors and guest lecturers from all over the world and industry. Natalie says, “The flexibility of online lectures allowed for a range of individuals to complete the course. The variety of topics let me discover various areas to decide which one I found most attractive to work in and gave me an overview of different subjects which is useful for working in such an interconnected industry.” She goes on to say that each professor brought a different approach, some more academic, others pulling from their personal experiences. On top of that, she found the guest lecturers extremely valuable. Gina agrees, “I enjoyed having lectures from professionals in the industry that could give many practical examples from their day-to-day jobs and helped us understand the industry better and prepare us for the next steps.”
As with most Candidates, Gina really enjoyed the 4th module which takes place in Lisbon, Portugal. She says this is the time where you can establish relationships and build stronger connections as you are meeting with The FBA and other Candidates in person. Field trips also take place during the 4th Module and Natalie found these were also great, learning how various clubs with different resources, demographics and objectives delivered on their targets. Each place the cohort visited, the club or organization took the time to answer questions and provide valuable experiences. Check out Gina, Natalie and the rest of the 9th Edition’s experience at FIFA Headquarters.
For Natalie, The FBA is the perfect course if you want to enter the industry but are unsure how. Many doors open and The FBA provides so many resources. The more you commit, the more opportunities become available. As she works in a more female dominated area of the industry, she hasn’t noticed as many barriers as a woman but can feel a sense of imposter syndrome. Her confidence has grown however thanks to the support of her colleagues and from the knowledge she gained through the program. However, she wants to share a major reality check. “Make sure this is something you enjoy and want to continue learning about. Football is a 24-hour industry that is constantly changing, and you have to have passion for either the sport or the area you work in. It can sometimes be a thankless world with a lot of external noise and slow progress so having your own values and remembering why you are there is important.”
If you want personal and professional growth and are willing to find it and work for it, have a family all over the world, have a constant in your career with continuous support, go to networking events and meet new Candidates or Alumni from all different backgrounds from all over the world, have a group of people that will empower you, and access to a network unlike any other, then join The Football Business Academy today.
