2021 underway – next course starts January 2022
When and where will the Seminars take place?
Subject to UK Government advice, the seminars will either take place in person at Sport England in central London, or via Zoom webinars.
I am furloughed. Am I allowed to take part in the ESA Diploma?
Yes – UK Government guidance encourages furloughed employees to undertake training. The ESA Diploma is a great way to develop your sponsorship skills while on furlough, and will allow you to return to your role with an enhanced level of knowledge.
Who is the ESA Diploma aimed at?
The ESA Diploma covers such a wide range of territory that it is suitable for candidates from a wide range of experience. It’s just as appropriate for middle/senior management who wish to test and expand their existing knowledge as it is for those aspiring to gain entry to the sponsorship industry.
How heavy is the workload?
The ESA Diploma is designed in the knowledge that the majority of candidates will be in full-time employment. Care is taken to ensure that, while the Diploma course is deliberately challenging, it does not jeopardise an acceptable work-life balance. The key to completing the course satisfactorily is planning and adhering to the set deadlines which are intended to mimic the scenario of a normal working environment in our industry. It is estimated that the work requirement can be accomplished by studying for one evening per week and roughly one 4-6 hour weekend session per month.
How is the course structured?
The course is usually held annually from mid-January to the end of August and the one-off June 2020 course is being held from mid-June to the end of January 2021. The Study Notes consist of six modules. There are two assignment questions (900 words max) to be answered per module and these are marked as part of the overall course assessment process. There is also a Set Brief which students are given at the beginning of the course to be handed in at the end of the course (5 pages of A4 max). Seminars are held in London every month and include presentations from eminent figures in the industry.
What will I gain from doing the ESA Diploma?
The ESA Diploma has established itself as a basic requirement for practitioners wishing to operate in the sponsorship industry. It is now an extremely valued and highly-regarded qualification which greatly increases the knowledge and confidence of everyone who successfully completes the course, as well as enhancing personal marketability. Ultimately, it’s a cast-iron investment in your future.
For employers, it’s an investment in your staff and their level of performance. You are raising standards within the industry, building employee confidence and capability and improving the on-the-job performance of your workforce.
How is the course assessed?
The marks accrued from the assignments and the Set Brief are added up at the end of the course and students will either Fail (0-49%), Pass (50-64%), be Commended (65-69%), be Highly Commended (70-74%), or receive a Distinction (75%+).
It is important to note that, while the ESA Diploma has a formal assessment process, feedback on individual work submissions is limited. We do mark and provide a critique of the first piece of work submitted, in order to give students a feel for the standard, and we also offer a Student Performance Review at the end of the course, should this be requested by a student’s mentor. However, it is important to note that we do not have the resources (or the budget) to provide comments on every piece of work submitted. It is also worth noting that we trust our independent marking process implicitly and do not enter into any correspondence about the marks awarded for any piece of work submitted.
Is the ESA Diploma an accredited qualification?
The ESA Diploma is accredited by the sponsorship industry and, as such, is allowed to reward successful candidates use of the letters ‘Dip ESA’ after their names in perpetuity.
What is the role of the mentor?
All employers who enter their staff on the ESA Diploma are encouraged to appoint an internal ‘mentor’ to oversee the smooth running of each student’s training and, as such, lend them active support throughout the course. Those who pay for their own training may request the appointment of a tutor to help offer advice and practical assistance throughout the course.
Can I take part in the ESA Diploma if I live outside Europe?
Yes, very definitely! We have graduates from all over the world, including Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and USA.
Who are the tutors?
Peter Raymond
With over 30 years’ experience, Peter’s track record includes the first-ever major football sponsorships in the UK – the Milk Cup and the Canon League; managing the sponsorship of the Australian Cricket Team by Castlemaine XXXX; directing the British Athletics sponsorship portfolio; managing the sponsorship programme for the London Marathon, including securing partnerships with both both NutraSweet and Flora.
His career culminated as Head of International Sponsorship for Orange where he ran the company’s highly acclaimed popular arts portfolio including projects in film, music and literature. He was solely responsible for the creation and implementation of Orange Wednesdays and also ran the ‘Orange Arrows’ F1 programme.
In addition to creating and running the ESA Diploma programme, he runs a small, strategic consultancy whose clients have included Panasonic, OneTel, Michelin, Camelot, Blackberry and BAFTA, amongst many others.
Chris Bestley
Chris Bestley spent 20 years working for marketing services agencies (latterly as MD of TA&A) on major accounts such as Pedigree Petfoods, Pizza Hut, Sainsbury’s, British Meat, Renault, RHM Foods and Smirnoff.
More recently, he has been a freelance consultant, specialising in developing distance learning courses for marketers and running a number of qualifications, including the very popular Institute of Promotional Marketing Diploma – as well as becoming a highly regarded lecturer in a range of marketing-related subjects.
Enquiries about the course
Please contact the ESA Diploma Team via esaoffice@sponsorship.org with any queries.
Who runs the course?
The course is run by the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) which is a trade body promoting and protecting the sponsorship industry. As a not-for-profit membership organisation, we look after the interests of our members who represent all those working within sponsorship – from sponsors, rights holders and professional advisors, to suppliers and agencies (sponsorship, marketing, PR, events).
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Association or becoming a member, please visit the membership section of our wesbite, or contact ESA via esaoffice@sponsorship.org or telephone +44 (0)20 8390 3311.