FA partners Google Pixel and the Powerhouse Project have united to launch Pixel FC Academy - a landmark programme that will help young women break into the football content creation and media industry, delivered in partnership with the FA, Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC.
Developed in collaboration with women’s sports experts the Powerhouse Project, the Academy comprises a five-month programme of workshops across every aspect of modern sports media, from broadcast punditry, production and written press, to creating viral social content.
With Google AI tools on Pixel devices, participants will be trained on ways to efficiently generate new content ideas, gain insights quickly, and supercharge their creative process.
Supported by hands-on experiences with each of Google Pixel’s football partners, the sessions will allow participants the opportunity to film with the Arsenal and Liverpool women’s first teams, get access to an open training session at St George's Park and the chance to go pitchside to cover a live Barclays WSL match. On top of this, they’ll go shoulder to shoulder with top pundits from ITV to create digital and social content for their channels during Lionesses matches.
The programme announcement follows research by YouGov which revealed that 70 per cent of female sports fans aged 16-24 believe sports media is a male dominated industry, with 63 per cent stating that they would be more likely to apply if they saw a greater number of women in prominent roles.
Meanwhile, 56 per cent of respondents said that access to training courses and educational programmes would help them overcome perceived barriers to entry - the biggest of which is a fear of not being taken seriously (58 per cent).
The Academy will also offer members the opportunity to apply for coveted industry placements after graduating, including work experience or paid internships with Arsenal, Liverpool and ITV, depending on performance. In addition, all Academy graduates will be paired with a mentor from the sports industry to support their development.
The programme application window launched as legends Karen Carney and Fara Williams met the Powerhouse Project founders Rosie and Mollie Kmita at Wembley Stadium Connected by EE to discuss the barriers to entry they’ve faced during their careers - and the need for more opportunities for young women (watch the video here).
Rosie and Mollie Kmita said: “The thing we really love about Pixel FC Academy is that we’re providing behind the scenes access to industry leading individuals who are in these jobs every day, from journalists, producers, presenters and pundits to social media content creators. It’s a one-stop shop that will equip you for your future career.”
Karen Carney said: “I love the fact that Pixel FC Academy has been created. Looking back, a learning space like this where I could fail in a safe environment would have been brilliant. There’s clearly a need and demand for it, so if you’re interested, my advice would be to sign up - it’s an amazing opportunity.”
Fara Williams said: “Previously we didn’t see enough females and when you go into a male-dominated industry, you feel like you’ll always be judged. It’s crucial that we’re breaking down barriers and providing amazing levels of support to give women the confidence they need to succeed.”
Eileen Mannion, vice president of marketing at Google UK, said: “Google Pixel’s ambition is to help shape a more inclusive future for the sport and empower more women to enter the industry. Following the success of Pixel FC’s content creators at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Pixel FC Academy will now create tangible opportunities for the next generation of talent, helping to make football, and roles in football media, more accessible.”
The announcement follows a successful first year of Pixel FC, Google Pixel’s award-winning landmark collective of women’s football creators, which contributed over 128 million views of women’s football content in the first six months alone.
The Pixel FC Academy is part of a broader commitment between all five founding partners to help increase coverage and visibility of the women’s game, as well as the number of women in football content creation and media, by creating a clear talent pathway.
The application window for the Pixel FC Academy is now open to women aged 18+ and closes on 18 November.
For more information and to apply, click here.
