National Careers Week (NCW) is a celebration of careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK running from the 1^st – 6^th March.

We’re taking this opportunity to highlight the different career paths in table tennis and how you can get involved.

 

Player

If it’s being a professional table tennis player that you aspire to, here is some information about what routes to follow:

England pathways:

Table Tennis England supports players and coaches across the pathway in:

• Hotspots
• National Squads – England Hopes Squad, England Aspire Squad, England Junior Squad
• England Performance Squad

 

Other squads and programmes also have a big role to play in supporting the individual athlete journey through their pathway including:

• Clubs
• Schools
• Regional Squads
• International clubs

 

Diploma in Sporting Excellence:

The Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme is a government-funded apprenticeship scheme designed to directly measure the athletes’ ability to plan, apply and evaluate their development.

The programme covers a range of modules including:

• Strength and conditioning
• Psychology
• Nutrition
• Media and communication skills
• Career development
• Lifestyle management

 

Who delivers DiSE?

In partnership with Table Tennis England, the two-year DiSE programme is managed by SGS College, Bristol and delivered through Carlton le Willows Academy, Nottingham, Grantham College and the England Junior Squad Programme.

DiSE (formerly known as AASE) is part of the European Social Fund.

Click here to download more information.

Click here to make an application.

 

Coach

Coaching qualifications

Thinking of embarking on a career as a table tennis coach? Why not start with your Level 1 coaching qualification!

The Level 1 Session Coach qualification will provide learners with the necessary skills to be able to plan and deliver basic table tennis coaching activities/sessions.

After completion you can then undertake Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications along with a variety of different courses including first aid, safeguarding and many more.

Click here to find out more about how to become a qualified coach.

 

Work for us

You don’t have to be a player or coach to have a career in table tennis. Like all other sports, there are a variety of support roles within table tennis.

This ranges from development roles, communications and marketing roles, governance, administration – the list goes on!

If you’re passionate about working within table tennis and have a particular skill you are good at, then look to develop it through learning and experience. This could be from volunteering, paid work and online courses.

Look out on our Table Tennis England Development Facebook page all this week as we introduce our development team and the different roles!

For the chance to join our team, check out our jobs page, where all vacancies are advertised.

 

Volunteer Roles

Officials:

We wouldn’t be able to run any of our tournaments without Officials. These are the volunteers who give their time to organise or referee events, or umpire matches, ensuring they are run smoothly and within the laws of table tennis.

Becoming an official and volunteering your time could help you develop some fantastic transferable skills for your career. Find out more info about our officiating pathway here.

 

The Junior Umpire Award:

The Junior Umpire Award (JUA) is designed for young people under the age of 14. It can be used in a school or community setting to improve children’s understanding of the rules of the game and to begin their journey on the officiating pathway.

Umpiring can be a most rewarding and enjoyable experience and England has some of the most highly respected umpires in the world. Opportunities to use umpiring skills are available in school competitions, clubs, leagues and in many competitions across England. The ambitious can umpire abroad at international matches, World Championships and even at the Olympic Games.

More info here.

 

Young Ambassadors

The Table Tennis Young Ambassador (TTYA) programme aims to benefit young people looking for great volunteering experiences, and table tennis clubs looking for a few extra pairs of hands.

Clubs who sign up to the programme will be given the tools to grow their volunteer base and enable young people in their club and community to gain personal skills, qualifications and vital experience to enhance their CV.

Young Ambassadors will receive a series of incentives to reward the volunteering hours they log. Incentives available are as follows:

• 10 hours: £95 bursary for a UKCC Level 1 Coaching Table Tennis course or full bursary for a Level 1 Umpire course*
• 30 hours: TTYA sport shirt
• 50 hours: TTYA hoodie and special recognition from Table Tennis England
• For each level, Young Ambassadors will also receive a Table Tennis England certificate

Find out more information about Young Ambassadors here.