Home > What we do > Training, education and qualifications > Apprenticeships > Advanced apprenticeship in sporting excellence
Bookmark and Share

What we do

Advanced apprenticeship in sporting excellence (AASE)

AASE is a unique sporting qualification for young people with the realistic potential to achieve excellent in their sport by competing on the world stage or securing a professional contract. 

AASE combines a flexible education programme with a structured national training and development route across all sports, while preparing athletes for a career after sport. 

The programme was developed by us in conjunction with national governing bodies of sport, and since 2004 has been rolled out across a number of sports.

Who is AASE aimed at?

AASE has been designed to meet the needs of young people (aged 16-18) ‘who have the realistic potential to achieve excellence in their sport and are seeking to perform at the highest level as their main career goal’.

Notionally taking two-years to complete, the AASE framework provides a structured national training and development route, across all sports, for talented young athletes, many of whom may go to represent their country on the Olympic stage or gain professional contracts.

The framework contains a new Scottish/National Vocational Qualification (S/NVQ) which is fully reflective of the broad range of competences required in professional sport and not a qualification for simply playing the game.

It is designed to directly measure the athlete’s ability to apply themselves to professional development in the technical, tactical, physical and psychological aspects of the chosen sport. Importantly it will also directly address other issues such as lifestyle, communication, wider career management and health and safety.

The Apprenticeship is designed for four categories of involvement:

  • Full-time contracted apprentices at professional clubs.
  • Full-time elite athletes receiving support from the lottery world class programme and identified by their respective NGB.
  • Any young people involved in the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
  • Those talented young people in the “academy environment” at professional clubs not yet offered full time terms.

Find out more:

Watch our AASE videos, or download some of the following documents to find out more about the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence programme.

For national governing bodies and training providers

For athletes and parents

Contact us

For more information fill out our contact form and we can get in touch to discuss your query in more detail.

Last updated: 5 Mar 2010