Apprentice of the Month –

Dylan Ray – Level 4 Sports Coach

Dylan Ray is a Level 4 Sports Coach apprentice at Skegness Grammar School. With a lifelong love of sport and a determination to forge his own path, Dylan’s apprenticeship journey is a powerful reminder that there is more than one route to a rewarding career in education.

A love of sport and finding the right path

Sport has always been at the forefront of Dylan’s life. Growing up, he was drawn to being active in every form, whether watching, playing, or competing. He has played football for local teams from a young age and currently trains at a local combat academy, pursuing mixed martial arts alongside his professional development.

It was during his time in Sixth Form that Dylan’s direction began to take shape. A trusted teacher recognised his potential and encouraged him to consider a career in teaching, even going so far as to give Dylan and a turn at managing the Year 9 football team for a full season. That experience lit a spark. It was fun, it was formative, and it confirmed that working with young people in sport was where Dylan belonged.

University, however, was not the route for him. Searching for an alternative, Dylan discovered inspire+ Apprenticeships, and from the moment he found out more, he knew it was the perfect fit. Now in the final stretch of his Level 4 apprenticeship, he is already looking ahead to the possibility of Level 5 next academic year.

Building skills, knowledge and life experience

Dylan describes the apprenticeship as hugely useful, not only for building a career, but for shaping him as a person. He has developed a deep understanding of how to coach and teach sport across a wide range of age groups, from KS1 right through to KS5, as well as gaining practical experience in planning and running events for young people of all abilities.

Alongside the professional skills, Dylan reflects that some of the most valuable lessons have been the broader ones, the confidence, communication, and resilience that come from working in a school environment every day. These are qualities that cannot be taught in a lecture theatre.

A moment that said it all

For Dylan, one memory from his apprenticeship stands out above the rest. At the end of the academic year, students at Skegness Grammar School are given the opportunity to write thank-you letters to a member of staff of their choosing. Arriving at work early on the last Monday of term, Dylan found a pile of them waiting on his desk.

Reading through those letters was a special moment, a tangible reminder of the real impact he had made on the young people in his care. It is the kind of moment that reinforces exactly why the work matters.

Looking ahead

With his End-Point Assessment on the horizon, Dylan is focused and motivated. While he is still shaping his longer-term ambitions, the path of teaching is one that increasingly appeals to him. Whatever direction he takes, he leaves his apprenticeship equipped with the knowledge, experience, contacts, and confidence to take on whatever comes next.

Why Dylan recommends an inspire+ apprenticeship

Dylan’s message to anyone considering this route is straightforward:

“inspire+ Apprenticeships are all they advertise and more. I’ve had so many opportunities brought to me because of this apprenticeship and I have met so many amazing people along the way too. It sets you up for a great career — whether in teaching or through coaching, whatever you choose to do, this apprenticeship gives you the knowledge, experience, contacts and confidence to move to your next stage.”

Whether your goal is teaching, coaching, or something else entirely, the apprenticeship gives you the tools to get there. For Dylan, that has made all the difference.

To find out more about our apprenticeships, visit

www.inspireplus.org.uk/become-a-pe-apprentice