Sky TV has formally launched Sky Academy, a new initiative based around youth, skills and the future. Sport is to be a major part, adding to the Sky Sports Living for Sport programme which was introduced to Ireland earlier this year.
Dublin will in fact be one of the four central hubs for the new initiative, which aims to create opportunities for one million young people to build skills and experience by 2020.
Sky Academy’s opportunities for young people will include:
- An expanded Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative, now operating in Ireland as well as reaching one third of British secondary schools
- Three more Skills Studios in Livingston, Leeds and Dublin in addition to the London studio opened last year, providing an interactive, curriculum-based learning experience that uses the latest technology to build children’s life skills
- Scholarship schemes to provide mentoring and financial support for emerging talent in sport, arts and television
- A comprehensive range of work experience and employment opportunities at Sky for secondary school students through to graduates, which will double in size over the next three years
- A new programme giving teenagers the opportunity to spend a day at Sky for a hands-on experience of the world of work
- A major new initiative built around creativity and the arts to be announced in 2014
It is always important to build an understandable narrative around an event of this scale and Sky has done so by tagging it to its upcoming 25th anniversary as a broadcaster. The initiatives are aimed at improving life experience for those born since its inception.
Dublin features as a result of the rapid expansion of the company’s operations here to the point where it now employs almost 1,000 staff.
Sky Academy will work with role models from television, sport and the arts, as well as drawing on the passion and expertise of Sky’s own employees. David Beckham, as Sky Academy Ambassador, will lead a team of top names including Jessica Ennis-Hill, Darren Campbell and Ashley Banjo to get young people from across Britain and Ireland involved.
Katie Taylor has been the lead sports star involved with Sky Sports Living for Sport in Ireland and is likely to be involved with this as well.
Initially, Sky Academy will be made up of four initiatives: Sky Academy Skills Studios, Sports Sports Living for Sport, Sky Academy Starting Out and, of course, Sky Academy Scholarships. A fifth will follow in 2014 that is “built around creativity and the arts.”
“Building skills and nurturing talent are vital not just for business success but for society as a whole,” said BSkyB Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch. “A generation has been born since Sky’s launch and, as we look ahead to our 25th anniversary next year, we want to use our position as a successful company to support young people across Britain and Ireland.
“Sky Academy will create exciting opportunities to inspire young people and help them build skills and experience. We’ll use our strengths as a leading media and technology company and work with inspirational role models to get people involved and make a lasting impact.”
Former England football captain Beckham expressed his delight at being part of Sky Academy and believes role models and mentors can be crucial for young people and their influence cannot be overlooked.
“Mentors and role models have always been important to me,” he added. “When I was young, they helped me to believe in myself and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams. That’s what Sky Academy will do and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
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