Where are MSc PA Class of 2013 Now? Jamie Ensom

Here is a link back to the list of the Class of 2013 interviews and the original “Where are they now” blog post.

Basic Profile

Name: Jamie Ensom

PA Experience: 2 years

Current job(s): Graphics Operator for Sky Sports (Jan 2014 – Present)

PA Highlights: Experience at two professional football clubs (Leicester and Brighton). Being part of the Brighton team that reached the Championship play-offs in 2013.

Questions

1. Why did you decide to undertake the MSc PA course in September 2011 and what were you doing prior? I wanted to further my education and knew that an MSc in whatever subject would be beneficial to my career. PA was the area I chose because it was an area of Sports Science that interested me and it was a natural follow on from my Sports Coaching Science undergraduate degree and dissertation.

2. What was your experience like during the taught modules from September 2011 to June 2012? I found the experience in Cardiff very useful even though I am not currently working in PA. The skills learnt regarding presentation and communication of information can be applied to any job. In terms of specific PA and coaching skills, I learnt a lot and hope and can use these again in the future.

3. What you have been up to since finishing the taught modules in June 2012? When I left Cardiff I had an interview with Brighton FC.  Unfortunately I just missed out on the full time paid internship position but was offered a match-day role to help the PA team there. In November of that year I was offered a full time role which I took up in December. My main role was to help in pre match preparation (stats) for the first team. This lasted until June 2013. At this point I realised that a full time football PA role was not for me as a career, despite enjoying my time there. It was too cut throat (no job security) and also the lack of a work-life balance didn’t suit me!  I then took a paid freelance role for a company called Onside Analysis, analysing European football matches. In the Autumn of 2014 I went for an interview at Sky Sports for a position in their graphics department, something quite different to my previous experiences.  

4. What is your current paid/ voluntary job(s) now and what does it involve? I now work at Sky Sports with most of my work focusing on the Sky Sports News channel. I work closely with production teams and graphic designers in order to produce graphics relating to current sports news stories and breaking news. Many of these are statistical (usually sourced from Opta) and live updates of sporting events around the world. I create these graphics and also play them out on live. The job requires a creative eye, attention to detail and high concentration, skills which were developed during my time in Cardiff.

5. How do you feel about your PA career so far and for the future? Two years ago I envisaged myself in a full time PA role. That is not the case but I am still working in a stimulating sporting environment of a different kind and have no regrets. I could see myself going back to PA or coaching in the future and am very happy with my PA/sporting CV.

6. What advice would you give to somebody who is about to embark in a career in PA? Be aware of the hours and commitment involved. Certainly in professional football the job becomes your life so really weigh up how you want your work-life balance to be and what you want your priorities in life to be. Having said that it can be a very rewarding profession and just down right cool at times!7. Recount is a memorable moment/ story involving thevolleyballanalyst? Constantly crashing computers…..CROCS!…..England v Sweden in Euro 2012 down the pub.

8.  Anything else?