How Important Are Sports Internships for Your Career?

Alongside networking, internships are often the first step towards a career in the sports industry.

This is because spending a short amount of time in a role you may want to pursue benefits both you and future employers, with studies showing that such opportunities boost employability.

For you, it offers insight into what the role really entails, while giving you advice directly from professionals already working in the field.

For the employer, it demonstrates your initiative in securing the internship, as well as your growing familiarity with the workplace.

At GIS, we support our students in gaining as much experience as possible, and many of our alumni and guest speakers emphasise its importance.

One example is Misbah Malik. Misbah is studying our MSc Sports Marketing and Media course, and took part in GIS’ Live Lab internship, in collaboration with Mount Pleasant Football Academy in Jamaica.

Assisting the media and commercial team, Misbah recalled his time, saying: “It was a hands-on experience that solidified my passion for the field.”

Fellow GIS student Vilde Ringstad felt the same. Internships can be an extremely helpful way to confirm whether a role truly suits you. Completing multiple internships allows you to test different positions and decide which path is right – without the long-term commitment of a full-time job.

For Vilde, this came in the field of sports administration. Before starting her full-time role at Heming Fotball in her native Norway, the MSc International Sport Management student said: “Volunteering and talking to people made me realise that it’s possible to change the direction I wanted to take my career in.”

But it’s not only the students that see the upsides. Advising GIS students on how they can nail their next job interview is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at World Snooker Tour, Tom Rowell, who sees this experience as a major attribute that employers look for.

“If you have a job in football once, you can get a job in football many times,” he said.

“Even if it’s an internship or you’ve done voluntary work for a sports team, it’s a tick that you know something about the sport and you’re more than just academic.”

Yet another student who has made the effort in this area is Pieter de Smedt, who knows internships can be more than just a few days.

A lifelong R.S.C. Anderlecht supporter, Pieter has spent the last 11 months interning at the club while studying his Postgraduate Diploma in International Football Business at our Brussels campus.

Based at the club’s Lotto Park, Pieter both studies and interns under the same roof, and spoke to us about the high level of responsibility he has taken on at the club.

“For the internship, I’m working on a couple of projects. 

“The first one is analysing the fan shop, looking at what we are selling, the opening hours, and whether it makes sense to keep the shop open during the week or extend its hours.

But as well as the commercial side, he is also involved with the financial teams, supported by his background in business and finance.

“I’m also digging into larger invoices to better understand them and determine what we need to pay to the Belgian Association. Additionally, I’ll be working on projects related to transfers. It’s an incredible feeling to contribute to the club I support.”

From these GIS students, we can see the value of internships in preparing students for the workplace.

Whether through the GIS Live Lab in Jamaica or our upcoming internships at RAEC Mons, our students continue to make the most of every opportunity. To follow in their footsteps and begin studying for your career in sport, discover more on our course offerings page.

From these GIS students, we can see the value of internships when it comes to preparing you for the workplace.

Article by Zakaria Anani