Premier League initiatives provide structured pathways for current and future coaches, supporting their personal and professional development and enhancing the diversity of the workforce.
Elite Coach Accreditation Scheme (ECAS)
ECAS is the Premier League's longest running coaching development programme. Launched in Season 2013/14, it looks to support high potential coaches within Academies through a two-year individualised programme which combines workshops, study visits and tailored mentoring support.
Former Premier League player turned coach Kevin Betsy was one of the first cohort to graduate from the ECAS programme.
Betsy said: "ECAS has helped me develop both personally and professionally, helping me look at coaching in a more holistic way, growing my network and opening my eyes to new opportunities and learning in and out of the football industry."
Kevin has gone on to hold senior youth coaching roles at Fulham, Arsenal and for England, with a recent spell as the first-team manager of Crawley Town at the beginning of Season 2022/23.
Professional Player to Coach Scheme (PPCS)
The PPCS is a joint programme run in collaboration with the Professional Footballers' Association Charity (PFAC), and the English Football League (EFL).
It aims to increase the number of ex-players from underrepresented groups transitioning into full-time coaching roles within the professional game.
The scheme provides coaches with a 23-month development programme and fixed-term employment with an EFL club. There are currently 12 coaches on the scheme.
"This scheme will make huge strides in opening doors and breaking down barriers," said Jon-Paul Pittman while on a placement with Exeter City.
"Having someone like myself in this position, it’s going to normalise black coaches in football."
The former Nottingham Forest and Wycombe Wanderers player has since moved to a full-time role with Forest Green Rovers, where he is the lead U18 coach.
Elite Heads Of Coaching (EHOC)
The EHOC programme was launched across all 92 Premier League and EFL clubs in Season 2016/17.
It was designed to enhance the quality of coaching provision across the professional game by supporting a sustainable system and approach to club-owned coach development.
Each head of coaching receives individualised developmental support facilitated through training, targeted experiences and mentoring.
Luke Hobbs, Arsenal's Head of Academy Coaching, spoke about the importance of the EHOC Programme: "The support that each coach needs to be a good coach, to be a good people manager and to look after everything else is incredibly important."
Coach Inclusion Diversity Scheme (CIDS)
CIDS was launched in Season 2020/21 as part of the Premier League’s No Room For Racism commitment to support coaching pathways for under-represented groups.
The programme provides black, Asian, mixed heritage and women coaches with the opportunity to take part in a two year development programme and fixed-term placement at a Category One club.
Nicole Farley is one of the coaches taking advantage of the work placement, having become West Ham United’s first female Academy coach.
"If it wasn't for CIDS, people maybe wouldn't know that I could do this," she says. "I am good enough, but this brings it to life. This programme is initiating change and it really resonates with me."
Football Leaders
Launched in Season 2021/22, the Football Leaders Programme is run in partnership with the League Managers Association (LMA).
It is an individualised personal development programme for home-developed coaches and managers in English professional football.
It is designed to improve individuals' leadership, coaching and career planning, and supports coaches working across the Premier League, Sky Bet Championship and Women's Super League.
Coach Index
The Coach Index is an online self-registration system which launched in Season 2021/22 to provide greater visibility of personal and professional development opportunities within professional football for coaches from underrepresented groups.
The Index has been developed with The FA, EFL, LMA and PFA to support the Football Leadership Diversity Code (FLDC) and the coaching pathways workstream in the Premier League’s No Room For Racism Action Plan.
There are currently 270 coaches registered on the system.
"The Coach Index is more than just an online self-registration exercise. It directs coaches to opportunities to help them develop both personally and professionally," said Darren Moore, Chair of the Premier League Black Participants' Advisory Group and first-team manager at Sheffield Wednesday.
Elite Referee Development Plan (ERDP)
The ERDP launched in Season 2021/22 and is a strategic plan that has been designed to establish a new global standard in match officiating performance and development.
Managed by the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMOL), but funded and supported by the Premier League, the plan looks to address immediate developmental priorities and is designed to transform the coaching and performance support that the current elite workforce receives.
This includes working to improve the delivery of VAR, implementing a modernised, holistic match official assessment and supporting the improvement of future performances of match officials both individually and as a group.