Five Ipswich Jets Intrust Super Cup players have been given the opportunity to learn new on-the-job skills – thanks to their sponsor Ipswich Pro Drive.
The locally-owned driver education company have partnered with the Ipswich Jets, and are donating their time and expertise to give five of the club’s Intrust Super Cup players the opportunity to get their Heavy Rigid Condition B HR(B) licences per year.
This will have a huge positive benefit to their professional development outside of the game and allow them to pursue other career opportunities.
Ipswich Jets CEO Richard Hughes was thrilled to have the company on board and said it was a great example of a new way of thinking about sponsorships.
“At the Ipswich Jets, we are all about the person before the player and Ipswich Pro Drive wanted to work with us on that and support our players with their careers off the rugby league field as part of their sponsorship,” Mr Hughes said.
“We were delighted to work with them to create this amazing opportunity for our playing group and are thankful for sponsors who are so proactive like Ipswich Pro Drive.”
The new partnership kicked off earlier this week, with forward Ben Shea one of the first players to take part in a course to complete the requirements to receive these licences.
“I work in construction and scaffolding and in our industry, you can drive mobile cranes; so it is a useful licence to have.
“It’s a one-day course and I spent a few hours learning in the heavy rigid truck; then we went down to the Department of Main Roads and Transport where they put you through your driving test.”
For Shea, it was a great opportunity and he said as a player, it was great to see the practical support from a sponsor.
“The Jets are a community club and Ipswich Pro Drive are a locally-based business that are supporting a local team.”
Captain Nat Neale, Archie Taylor, Blake Lenehan and Todd White will join Shea as the first players to utilise this opportunity.
Main Image: Ipswich Jets CEO Richard Hughes, Ipswich Pro Drive Dave Cullen and Ben Shea. Photo: supplied
