The United Rugby Championship (URC) has announced the global call for entries to its Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), an initiative designed to tackle the significant barriers women face when entering the sports industry. Research reveals that 92% of women encounter challenges in this field, and 8 in 10 express a desire for mentoring opportunities.
The WLA, sponsored by CVC Capital Partners, aims to address these issues by connecting aspiring women aged 18-26 with seasoned professionals through workshops and networking opportunities.
The programme seeks to empower participants with valuable career skills and inspire them through firsthand experiences shared by accomplished women in sport. Registration for the 2025 programme is open until January 31, 2025, at wla.unitedrugby.com, where applicants can submit video biographies outlining their aspirations.
The academy will select 50 candidates for an immersive experience that includes CV-enhancing workshops and mentorship from leading women in the industry, who volunteer their time to foster real change. The programme culminates with participants graduating, and the standout “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) will gain hands-on experience at the URC Grand Final 2025 and a sports industry internship. Past MVP Genesis Cele described the programme as life-changing, citing newfound confidence and career clarity gained from attending.
The initiative also resonates with CVC’s mission to promote female role models and greater inclusivity in sports. URC’s Women’s Leadership Academy continues to pave the way for the next generation of sports leaders, making impactful strides toward gender equality in professional sport.
The full statement from the United Rugby Championship can be read below:
This is a global call for entries to a programme that was created to address research which revealed that 92% of women faced barriers entering the sports industry, and that 8 in 10 women would like access to a mentoring programme with women working in sport.
In the world of professional sport, the United Rugby Championship (URC) is making a powerful statement for equal opportunity within the greater sports industry through its Women’s Leadership Academy programme that is opening up careers in sport to a new generation of women.
When the URC launched three seasons ago with a new vision for the game, it sought to do so much more with an equally strong vision to help transform the sports industry and create a pathway for women into all areas of the industry.
The URC Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), sponsored by CVC, is the blueprint for this vision as it brings together aspiring female applicants with leading women in the business of sport for a series of workshops and the creation of a network of like-minded women.
Women around the world between the ages of 18-26 can now apply for entrance to the academy. A final selection process will identify 50 successful candidates who will undergo a series of CV-boosting workshops led by internationally acclaimed women in the sports industry. The speakers all volunteer their time which itself speaks to the value they see in the programme and the real change it is making.
Online registrations for the programme are now open from 3 December 2024 through to 31 January 2025.
Prospective candidates are asked to submit a short video biography of themselves explaining why they want to be a part of the programme by visiting wla.unitedrugby.com
All participants can graduate and the top “MVP” (Most Valuable Player) graduate will earn work experience at the URC Grand Final 2025 and an internship programme to further her career within the sports industry.
“This programme has really sparked a different level of confidence in me, and it’s encouraged me to think and dream bigger,” says Genesis Cele, who was crowned the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 2024 WLA, earning herself an internship with the URC.
“Learning from women who have actually made it in the industry inspired me so much. I was able to attend the URC Grand Final and interview Glasgow Warriors legend Ryan Wilson. This programme is exceptionally well run and has given me a clear understanding of what I want from my career in sport.”
“The programme was everything they advertised it to be,” says UK candidate and runner-up MVP Dayna Strongman.
“We all got something amazing to put on our CVs and the contacts we made were phenomenal. It was inspiring to see women who have made it in the industry and to learn from them, because it just gives you that self-belief that it’s possible.”
For Jane Howard, Vice President of Philanthropy at CVC who have supported the programme since its inception, the WLA aligns perfectly with their own corporate objectives.
At CVC we feel that having female role models is important within all industries, but specifically in sport where so many women report that they are facing barriers to entry. We are proud to be involved with a programme that makes sport even more accessible to all.”
The URC is committed to creating career pathways for women and nurturing the next generation of sports leaders.”
Follow our journey using #URCxWLA
Apply before 31 January 2025 by visiting wla.unitedrugby.com
To find out more about the WLA watch this video : Kick start your career in sport | URC Women’s Leadership Academy 2025 – YouTube
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