Ashton Gate Stadium Opens Its Doors to Future Ready Students

On Tuesday 7 July, students from Merchants’ Academy’s Future Ready Programme were welcomed to Ashton Gate Stadium for an exciting careers experience. Kelly Parson and the wider Ashton Gate team delivered a fantastic programme, providing students with a unique insight into the many careers that help one of Bristol’s most iconic venues operate successfully.

The day began with the Front of House team, who introduced students to hospitality through a series of practical challenges, including laying tables, carrying multiple plates and balancing trays of glasses. After putting their skills to the test, students enjoyed lunch kindly provided by Ashton Gate, a highlight of the day for many.

Students then explored the commercial side of the stadium with the Sales team, who challenged them to design and pitch a hospitality package for a matchday of their choice. The Retail team followed, giving students hands-on experience of merchandising while also explaining the thought and planning behind Bristol City and Bristol Bears products.

The afternoon focused on the operational side of the stadium, with the Health, Safety and Safeguarding team sharing the challenges of managing thousands of supporters on matchdays and the planning required to keep everyone safe.

The visit concluded with a behind-the-scenes tour of Ashton Gate, including the pitch side area, dressing rooms, players’ tunnel, family seating area and control room. For many students, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see parts of the stadium normally closed to the public.

Throughout the day, staff shared their career journeys and passion for their roles, helping students understand the wide range of opportunities available within hospitality, events, retail and venue management. The enthusiasm of the Ashton Gate team left a lasting impression, with many students commenting on how much they enjoyed seeing the stadium from a completely different perspective.

A huge thank you to Kelly and the entire Ashton Gate team for their time, enthusiasm and support. By opening their doors to our Future Ready students, they provided an inspiring insight into the many careers behind matchday success.

Thank you to everyone at Ashton Gate for showing our students that there is much more to a stadium than what happens on the pitch and helping them score valuable insights into their future careers.

This activity was delivered as a part of the Future Ready Fund; funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company and The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.