BUILDING A FUTURE FOR ALL INVOLVED
AS well as in sport, the Class of 92 see they can make a difference in education, which in turn will help the north, wider country and even the world with overseas students. Partnered with Lancaster University, UCAS applications open in January for people who want to study sports science, physical education, psychology, business or media. With links to companies like Microsoft and KPMG, ‘UA92’ aims to provide a different way of delivering education at degree level. Again, there is a big emphasis placed on the building of character to meet the real-world business need, as Yvonne Harrison, who is in charge of the whole Project 92, explained. “Gary was often faced with people in businesses who complained about young people, saying they don’t make them how they used to; they don’t have the drive or the work ethic to know that you have to be in from 9-5 in some instances,” she says. “He didn’t think that was right, especially as more people than ever are going to university, paying all this money, making that investment and then to come out of it and you still can’t get a job. “He wanted to know what he could do about that. That led to conversations, both at government level in terms of higher education reform and identifying a university partner that could work alongside us to shape this idea. “We want to be the disrupter in higher education; we want to say that there is a better way to deliver more value to young people.” The football club will also benefit. It’s hoped it will bring in new fans, internships will be offered to some students at the football club and academy players could be directed to the higher education route. “We have lads playing in the academy now who will progress. Others might not make it, but could have a career in football as there are different opportunities. We can carry on and build their education here and potentially go down a degree pathway, which will instil the principles they have learnt and they can build upon them.”