Polish, Ukrainian talents begin training for EURO

For the first time in UEFA European Championship history, UEFA has launched a host broadcasting talent programme, giving 230 locally based university students across the eight host cities in Poland and Ukraine the opportunity to work at UEFA EURO 2012.

Positions in the Host Broadcast Talent Programme cover the areas of television and video production, host broadcasting logistics and broadcaster servicing. The scheme is aimed at media, journalism and sports-related faculties within universities, allowing students to have a unique chance to enhance their studies with real event experience and invaluable knowledge in an area linked to their academic work.

"This programme – a first for UEFA – aims to involve these highly talented students in the tournament in order to provide valuable work experience, but also a unique human experience, as part of the legacy of EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. They bring us their great skills, dynamism and an enthusiasm which is an asset for UEFA," said UEFA communications director Alexandre Fourtoy.

"All the universities that work with us in this programme across Poland and Ukraine have been really great partners and we look forward to having their students in our teams, to foster exchange, and hopefully support them with an aim to become future great professionals."

Two or three universities from each host city were reviewed as part of the selection process and one chosen in April 2011. Second-stage interviewing of the students was completed by October 2011 and the training workshops began this month. UEFA interviewed a total of 600 students in the two host countries, with 173 students recruited for active positions and 57 for a reserve pool.

Jacek Witkos, vice-chancellor for research and international coopertation at Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan, one of the scheme's partners in Poland, said: "We are extremely pleased that Adam Mickiewicz University will be participating in the programme, as we believe it is a great opportunity for our students to understand what it means to participate in an international event of such magnitude, to represent the university and share the responsibility for the success of this great enterprise. Such a practical and direct involvement in an international event is worth more than hundreds of hours spent in the classroom analysing theoretical examples."

Petro Yegorov, acting chancellor of Donetsk National University, one of the programme's partners in Ukraine, said: "Donetsk National Univeristy is proud to be in one team with UEFA. The university's ambitions for further development are perfectly in line with such a dynamic and challenging sport as football."

The programme has already provided students with the occasion to work and train at the final draw in Kyiv in preparation for their involvement in the biggest sporting event their countries have staged. In addition, students have access to elearning portals which include key training information and networking tools. They have also received training in interview skills and CV writing in order to help further develop their careers.

At the end of the scheme, one student from Poland and one from Ukraine who have made outstanding contributions in their work during the tournament will win a one-week experience at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with activities linked to their area of academic expertise as well as some unique UEFA experiences.