Footy Recruits now has a new section devoted to ex-AFL Players
With around 130 players retiring from senior AFL rank each year, there's a ready-made pool of talent that can enhance lower-tier competitions across the country.

Career Transition and Education
The AFL Players' Association is committed to supporting players in the areas of Career Transition and Education, both during their careers and after their football involvement has come to an end.

The Association conducts regular liaison sessions with players to discover their interests and passions outside football with a view to study and, in some cases, practical workforce placement.

The emphasis is on supplying the theoretical and practical assistance required to give a player the opportunity to formulate a plan and set goals, in addition to assistance in undertaking education and boosting their financial skills.

It is vital that younger players understand that a football career does not last forever and there is a strong emphasis in getting this message across as early as possible.
How a player navigates their transition in and out of the game is a critical factor in ensuring that his football experience is a positive one that sets him up for long and sustained success throughout his life.

Following is an outline of the services the Players' Association offers players in the Career Transition and Education area of the Player Development Program.

Induction - AFL Players' Induction Camp
This two-day camp for new draftees is designed to give them the skills and knowledge to understand what benefits and challenges they will face during their careers as AFL footballers.
This introduction to the world of AFL football is designed to be the starting point of the year-long Football Apprenticeship.
It covers everything from the role of the clubs, AFL and AFL Players' Association, to the various policies that apply to AFL players (Respect and Responsibility, Racial Vilification) and more practical information around minimising risky behaviour.
In 2010, the AFL Players' Association hosted all 124 new draftees from every AFL club at the Association's offices in Albert Park, Melbourne.

Football Apprenticeship
This year-long induction program comprises 15 subjects including:

• Finance
  
• Nutrition
  
• Wellbeing
  
• First Aid
  
• Managing Risk
  
• Media Skills
  
• Public Speaking
  
• Information Technology (IT)
  
• Skills & Tactics
  
• Sponsorship
  
• Game Development and a football-specific project.

This comprehensive induction program culminates in a TAFE qualification and is run as a traineeship for all first year players.

This program is run in conjunction with AFL SportsReady, a training organisation that organises work placements for young people in the sports industry.

Education - Literacy and Numeracy Assessment
The AFL Players' Association believes it has a duty of care to ensure players leave the AFL system better prepared for their future than when they arrived.
The Association's Literacy and Numeracy Program has been developed to assist in this area.
All AFL debutants and other select players, depending upon their needs, are tested, using the resources of ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research), considered a leading assessor of literacy and numeracy.
These assessments allow comparison of players' literacy and numeracy levels against Australian population standards.

Adequate Literacy and Numeracy skills enable players to:

• Address long standing deficiencies in their education. Unfortunately, too many students still fall through the gaps in primary and secondary school. Elite footballers can be victims of this just as easily as members of the broader community. The ACER testing identifies people who need assistance and quickly gives them the remedial help they need.
  
• Make the most of their football career. Improved literacy and numeracy skills provide immediate benefits by allowing players to better read and comprehend games notes, fitness programs, time tables, white board discussions and other presentations, club and AFL rules, regulations and guidelines regarding personal responsibilities.
  
• Make a smooth transition out of football. Because players won't be limited by their literacy skills when it comes to making decisions around continuing or beginning education, training and employment opportunities outside of the AFL system.

Some key findings from 2010:

• 154 AFL players were tested (plus 3 Scholarship players who received club-funded support).
  
• 26 per cent of first-year players fell below the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) estimate of Year 10 standard in either 'Literacy', 'Numeracy' or both of these areas.
  
• 76 per cent of first year players who were offered support, accepted support at some level.

Tutoring
The AFL Players' Association assists members with their reading, writing and comprehension skills whilst meeting the demands of university or TAFE study.

Career Advice
Dedicated AFL Players' Association staff are armed with the expertise to help AFL players identify their passion and career strengths outside of just being an AFL player.
This includes tailored programs to enhance AFL players' status as desirable employees.
University and TAFE Course Assistance Education industry contacts and knowledge is utilised by the Association to help players select the right course and institution.
Players' Association staff then liaise with that institution to maximise the chances of the player being accepted into their course of choice.

Education & Training Grants
Education & Training Grants are designed to help every AFL player subsidise their education costs.
The challenge for the modern AFL player is to juggle the competing demands of being a full-time professional athlete and pursuing their career goals outside the game.
With this background, the statistics here reflect the great commitment current AFL players have to external study.
Education and Training grants amounts are allocated in relation to the type of course being undertaken and successful completion of study. Grants range from up to $500 for short courses to $3000 a year for Post Graduate Masters study. In 2010, $414,801 in Education and Training Grants were issued to current and past players by the AFL Players' Association.

Computer Grants
The two tools of the trade AFL players rely upon most in the modern game are their boots and their laptop.
Computer grants for AFL players are designed to help every new draftee subsidise the purchase of a computer.
In 2010, a $500 subsidy was available to draftees.
Over $45,500 was allocated to AFL players upon evidence of a proof of purchase of a personal computer Elite Athlete Friendly University Network (EAFUN).

The AFL Players' Association is part of an Australia wide network of universities who have dedicated staff whose responsibility is to assist AFL players with their tertiary education needs.
This university network established by the Australian Institute of Sport provides significant support to AFL players, balancing their academic and sporting commitments.
EAFUN has been established to identify and promote universities which have responded to the specific needs of elite student athletes by developing new, or promoting existing, policies and practices which assist elite student athletes in undertaking sporting opportunities whilst pursuing and achieving academic excellence.

Career Transition
Career Transition Services has at its heart the management of players as they enter and exit the AFL system.
The disparate nature of the playing group, due to differing backgrounds, ages, educational levels, aspirations and cultural considerations requires the AFL Players' Association to take a particularly hands-on approach to this area of player support.
It is the aim of the Association to have in place a program specifically configured for each and every AFL player, at both ends of his career.

To support this aim, the following areas are covered under the auspices of AFL Players' Association Career Transition Services:

Next Goal Work Placements
This work placement program is designed to provide practical work experience in an industry of the player's choice. Players can take advantage of the Next Goal Program to gain much needed real-world experience in the workplace, to complement study or a predetermined interest for further practical knowledge and participation in a particular area of employment.

Costs are minimised for the employer and covered by the Association. In 2010 the below listed players undertook the Next Goal work placement program, in areas as varied as banking finance (David Swallow) and viticulture (Max Rooke).
For the players, this involved the equivalent of 20 days in the workplace, allowing them to gain much-needed real life employment experience, greatly enhancing their prospects of getting a job in that chosen area.
In short, the program effectively short circuits the 'lack of experience' factor that could be an impediment for the player in gaining a position.
It also allows a player a greater degree of certainty in regard to his career choice, often affirming an opinion, sometimes changing it, but always allowing the player the opportunity to make an informed choice.

Next Coach Work Placements
In 2009, the AFL Players' Association established a coaching placement program for current players nearing the end of their careers and who were interested in pursuing a career as a senior coach.
All participants whose careers finished in 2010 were employed as coaches at AFL clubs.

The Next Coach program is unique in the world of professional sport because it formally teaches players to become coaches while they're still involved in the game.
Participants have said that it actually benefits their playing career because they understand all the facets required of becoming an AFL coach.

Sporting Trade Skills
This specialised program allows AFL players to undertake traditional trade apprenticeships, structured around the demands and schedule of their football careers.
The challenge in organising traditional trade apprenticeships for players lies in the time commitment required for both the theory and on the job component of their apprenticeship.
In 2010 there were 40 AFL players engaged in trade apprenticeships. This program is run in conjunction with AFL SportsReady.
In 2010, 40 apprenticeships were being undertaken by players.

AFL Players' & Gaelic Players' Transition Agreement
In 2010, the AFL Players' Association and the Gaelic Players Association struck an accord to support Irish Players transitioning to and from the Gaelic and AFL football codes.
The type of support provided within this agreement will include transition and education support for Gaelic players before and after their AFL careers.
This agreement by two different sporting associations is a great example of the support provided to AFL players of any background.

Retired & Delisted Player Support
Every year, one in five AFL players either retires or is delisted.
Following this decision, each one of those players will meet with a Player Development Regional Manager to discuss how they will successfully transition out of the game.
The player is interviewed and made aware of the range of services and support mechanisms that exist under the auspices of the AFL Players' Association.
The aim of this element of the program is to ensure that players are best equipped to enter the workforce or undertake study on completion of their on-field careers.
All services are available to Primary listed players for up to 3 years after retirement.
The chart below shows the general path an AFL Player has followed in 2010 once their AFL career has finished.

AFLPA Player Transition Staff:

Rayden Tallis.
Project Manager - Career Transition.