Director of People and Learning Review
at Coach Core Foundation
Degree Apprenticeship
Business Management
Chester-le-Street
Review Submitted: March 2026
Overall Rating
5 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
5/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
As Director of People and Learning at Coach Core Foundation, my role focuses on leading the organisation’s approach to workforce development, apprenticeships, and education quality. On a day-to-day basis this involves overseeing our apprenticeship programmes from recruitment through to delivery and progression, working closely with employers, training providers, and partners across the sport and physical activity sector.
I lead work around staff development, programme design, and partnerships, ensuring that our programmes create meaningful employment opportunities for young people while also supporting employers to build diverse and skilled workforces. My role also involves contributing to national discussions around skills, apprenticeships, and workforce development through partnerships with organisations such as Sport England, UK Sport, and CIMSPA.
Alongside my day-to-day leadership responsibilities, the Senior Leader apprenticeship allows me to reflect on my leadership practice, apply learning directly into the organisation, and strengthen the strategic thinking needed to grow our programmes and maximise social impact.
I lead work around staff development, programme design, and partnerships, ensuring that our programmes create meaningful employment opportunities for young people while also supporting employers to build diverse and skilled workforces. My role also involves contributing to national discussions around skills, apprenticeships, and workforce development through partnerships with organisations such as Sport England, UK Sport, and CIMSPA.
Alongside my day-to-day leadership responsibilities, the Senior Leader apprenticeship allows me to reflect on my leadership practice, apply learning directly into the organisation, and strengthen the strategic thinking needed to grow our programmes and maximise social impact.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I really enjoy the programme as it gives me the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day demands of leading a charity and reflect on my leadership practice. The learning is highly relevant and allows me to apply theory directly into real organisational challenges, particularly around strategy, people development, and organisational culture.
What I value most is the balance between academic learning and practical application. The programme encourages critical thinking and reflection, which has helped me strengthen my approach to leadership and decision making while continuing to deliver impact through my role.
It has also been valuable to learn alongside leaders from different sectors, bringing new perspectives and ideas that I can take back into the organisation and into the wider work we do across the sport and physical activity sector.
What I value most is the balance between academic learning and practical application. The programme encourages critical thinking and reflection, which has helped me strengthen my approach to leadership and decision making while continuing to deliver impact through my role.
It has also been valuable to learn alongside leaders from different sectors, bringing new perspectives and ideas that I can take back into the organisation and into the wider work we do across the sport and physical activity sector.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
The programme has helped me develop and strengthen a range of leadership and strategic skills. In particular, it has supported my ability to think more critically about organisational strategy, people development, and how to lead teams through change. It has also strengthened my confidence in using data, research, and evidence to inform decision making.
I’ve also developed skills around reflective leadership, stakeholder engagement, and systems thinking. These have been particularly valuable in my role where I work with a wide range of partners across the sport, education, and employment sectors.
One of the biggest benefits has been the ability to apply learning directly into my day-to-day work. The programme has encouraged me to test ideas, reflect on my leadership style, and continuously improve how I support both the team I lead and the young people our programmes are designed to help.
I’ve also developed skills around reflective leadership, stakeholder engagement, and systems thinking. These have been particularly valuable in my role where I work with a wide range of partners across the sport, education, and employment sectors.
One of the biggest benefits has been the ability to apply learning directly into my day-to-day work. The programme has encouraged me to test ideas, reflect on my leadership style, and continuously improve how I support both the team I lead and the young people our programmes are designed to help.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme is well structured and balances academic learning with practical application. Modules are clearly organised and build on each other in a way that supports leadership development over time. The structure also allows space to reflect on learning and apply it directly within the workplace, which has been really valuable in a senior leadership role.
Support from the university team and tutors has been strong throughout the programme. There are clear expectations, good access to resources, and opportunities to engage with tutors and peers when needed. Learning alongside leaders from different sectors also creates a supportive environment where experiences and perspectives can be shared.
Overall, the programme provides a solid framework that enables you to develop as a leader while continuing to manage the responsibilities of a full time role.
Support from the university team and tutors has been strong throughout the programme. There are clear expectations, good access to resources, and opportunities to engage with tutors and peers when needed. Learning alongside leaders from different sectors also creates a supportive environment where experiences and perspectives can be shared.
Overall, the programme provides a solid framework that enables you to develop as a leader while continuing to manage the responsibilities of a full time role.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I receive excellent support from my employer. There is a strong understanding of the value that the apprenticeship brings, both for my own development and for the organisation more broadly. I’m given the time and flexibility needed to engage fully with the programme, including protected study time and space to reflect on learning.
There is also encouragement to apply what I learn directly into the organisation, which has been really valuable. The programme has helped shape work around leadership, people development, and organisational strategy, so it feels like a genuine investment rather than something separate from my role.
Overall, the support has enabled me to get the most out of the programme while continuing to lead and deliver within a busy senior role.
There is also encouragement to apply what I learn directly into the organisation, which has been really valuable. The programme has helped shape work around leadership, people development, and organisational strategy, so it feels like a genuine investment rather than something separate from my role.
Overall, the support has enabled me to get the most out of the programme while continuing to lead and deliver within a busy senior role.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
The support from the training provider has been very strong throughout the programme. Tutors are knowledgeable, accessible, and provide clear guidance on both the academic requirements and how the learning links to leadership practice in the workplace.
There are regular check ins, constructive feedback on assignments, and access to a wide range of learning resources. This has helped make the programme manageable alongside a full time senior leadership role.
What I particularly value is the encouragement to apply learning directly into real organisational challenges, which makes the programme feel practical and relevant rather than purely theoretical.
There are regular check ins, constructive feedback on assignments, and access to a wide range of learning resources. This has helped make the programme manageable alongside a full time senior leadership role.
What I particularly value is the encouragement to apply learning directly into real organisational challenges, which makes the programme feel practical and relevant rather than purely theoretical.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
The qualification has had a strong impact on how I approach my role. It has helped me strengthen my strategic thinking, leadership practice, and ability to reflect on decisions and organisational challenges in a more structured way.
Many of the frameworks and concepts explored through the programme can be applied directly to my day-to-day responsibilities, particularly around leading teams, organisational development, and long-term planning. This has helped me make more informed decisions and think more critically about how we develop people, programmes, and partnerships.
Overall, the qualification has been highly relevant to my role and has supported both my personal development as a leader and the wider work of the organisation.
Many of the frameworks and concepts explored through the programme can be applied directly to my day-to-day responsibilities, particularly around leading teams, organisational development, and long-term planning. This has helped me make more informed decisions and think more critically about how we develop people, programmes, and partnerships.
Overall, the qualification has been highly relevant to my role and has supported both my personal development as a leader and the wider work of the organisation.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
Yes, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in activities beyond the day to day role. As an organisation working in the sport and physical activity sector, there are regular opportunities to take part in events, community activities, and sector networking opportunities.
We also encourage team connection through informal activities, team days, and wider events linked to our programmes. These create good opportunities to build relationships across the organisation and with partners, while also staying connected to the communities and young people our work supports.
Professional networking is also a big part of the role, with opportunities to attend conferences, events, and sector forums that help build knowledge and connections across the sport, education, and employability sectors.
We also encourage team connection through informal activities, team days, and wider events linked to our programmes. These create good opportunities to build relationships across the organisation and with partners, while also staying connected to the communities and young people our work supports.
Professional networking is also a big part of the role, with opportunities to attend conferences, events, and sector forums that help build knowledge and connections across the sport, education, and employability sectors.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Coach Core Foundation to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Coach Core is a great organisation to work for, particularly if you are passionate about creating opportunities for young people and making a genuine social impact. The organisation has a clear mission and values, and there is a strong sense of purpose in the work we do supporting young people from underrepresented backgrounds into meaningful education and employment through sport and physical activity.
It is also a place where you are encouraged to learn, develop, and take on responsibility. Staff are trusted to bring ideas forward and contribute to shaping programmes, partnerships, and the wider direction of the organisation.
If you want to work somewhere where your role has a clear purpose and where you can see the difference your work makes in communities, Coach Core is a fantastic place to be.
It is also a place where you are encouraged to learn, develop, and take on responsibility. Staff are trusted to bring ideas forward and contribute to shaping programmes, partnerships, and the wider direction of the organisation.
If you want to work somewhere where your role has a clear purpose and where you can see the difference your work makes in communities, Coach Core is a fantastic place to be.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Coach Core Foundation?
ake the time to really understand the mission of the organisation and the communities it works with. Coach Core exists to create opportunities for young people who may face barriers to employment, so showing an understanding of social impact and why this work matters is important.
It’s also helpful to demonstrate a willingness to learn and collaborate. Much of the work involves partnerships with employers, community organisations, and young people themselves, so being open, adaptable, and able to work with different perspectives is key.
Finally, bring your authentic self and be ready to share why the work resonates with you personally. Passion for helping young people succeed and a belief in the power of sport and physical activity to change lives goes a long way.
It’s also helpful to demonstrate a willingness to learn and collaborate. Much of the work involves partnerships with employers, community organisations, and young people themselves, so being open, adaptable, and able to work with different perspectives is key.
Finally, bring your authentic self and be ready to share why the work resonates with you personally. Passion for helping young people succeed and a belief in the power of sport and physical activity to change lives goes a long way.
