A group of Bath Rugby players recently spent the day at Bath College trying their hand at plumbing and electrical installation.
Team members David Wilson, Leroy Houston, Levi Douglas and Liam Forsyth took some time out at Bath College to learn new skills and prepare for a potential post-rugby career.
The session was organised in conjunction with The Rugby Players’ Association’s (RPA) Personal Development Programme (PDP), which aims to support and guide players with their personal and professional development.
Bath College lecturers Gerald Craig and Nick Hawkins were on hand to show the players around the plumbing and electrical installation workshops.
They demonstrated how to wire a plug, how to thread a pipe by hand and how to connect pipes and fittings.
Mr Craig said: “I went through all the different materials they would use in industry, they just had a practical taster of it all.
“The electrical installation workshop is a very mixed workshop, we get lots of different types of students, some people are fresh out of school and some people want a change of career.
“It’s the first time I’ve done a workshop for the RPA and I think it went really well. They were very enthusiastic.
“It’s nice to see the Bath Rugby players looking into their future, because their careers could potentially end at the age of 30/35.”
Julian Springer, who is the RPA’s Personal Development Manager for Bath Rugby and London Irish, spoke of the importance of helping the players prepare for life after rugby.
He said: “Rugby is a fantastic career, but it can so often be a short career. It can end so suddenly and without any preparation in place.
“The players who attended today have all expressed an interest in learning more about the trade industry, as well the property development sector.
“Today has been a taster session, allowing the players to experience the industry and assess whether or not they want to take their interest further.
“It’s all been really useful information, in particular having the expertise of the instructors who are knowledgeable and passionate about their subject area.”
Bath Rugby prop, David Wilson, said: “We’ve learned a few skills today and it’s been really interesting. I own a house and I do want to try and fix it up.
“You do things yourself at home and you don’t get it quite right, so it’s important to learn some of the basics. It’s good for your ongoing career after rugby and it’s good to know what you’re doing around the house.
“I’m 30 now so it’s not going to be long, you’ve got to see how you’re playing and take everything into consideration. I’m getting a bit of enjoyment out of it, seeing what other people do in their jobs.”