THE manager of a sports coaching company is challenging stereotypes and says apprenticeships are for everyone, after signing up for level training.

Mark Seary joined Sport4Kids three years as head of childcare and is now regional manager of the company’s operation in St Helens.

The 28-year-old is responsible for the business’ school sport, holiday camps and weekend activities and he has a 16-person team to assist him.

Mark’s role will take on a new dimension over the next few weeks as he studies for a level five operations and departmental manager apprenticeship.

The programme is suitable for experienced operations, regional and department managers and helps them develop new and already established skills, enhancing individual qualities and overall productivity.

With 47 per cent of UK apprentices aged 25 or over, Mark is encouraging more people to understand the true value of vocational qualifications.

He said: “I know so many people my age or older who have gone back into education either via university or an apprenticeship.

“For me, it’s a no-brainer to combine my full-time role with studying for a qualification which will only enhance my current skillsets.

“There is always room for improvement and broadening your knowledge, which is why apprenticeships are so valuable for Sport4Kids as we can train our coaches to the level we want.

“I don’t believe age should be a barrier when considering studying an apprenticeship.

“Regardless of how qualified you are or your experience, there is an apprenticeship out there for you – with qualifications now covering all sectors and delivered up to degree level.

“I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this new challenge and am pleased to be working for an organisation like Sport4Kids which believes strongly in the personal development of its staff.”

Mark’s level five apprenticeship is equivalent to studying a foundation degree and is delivered by registered training provider Ignite Training.

Justin Merritt, Ignite Training CEO, says the company has experienced a rise in the number of people aged 25 and above studying its education programmes.

He said: “Traditionally, apprenticeships have been viewed as serving a small number of sectors and catering for school leavers only.

“This assumption could not be further from the truth, with people of all ages now enhancing already established skills or facilitating a career change via apprenticeships.

“Mark’s story is a classic example of how vocational qualifications can be used to develop the ability of well-established staff already capable of performing tasks at senior level.

“More people than ever before considered a career change or how they could enhance their professional skills while we were stuck in COVID-19 lockdowns.

“Now, we’re beginning to see those thoughts and processes being applied in the real world.

“We’d like to wish Mark every success with his level five apprenticeship and look forward to following his progress.”