Emma's Modern Apprenticeship sees her join the world of Sport

A partnership with sportscotland and Enable Works saw Emma join JudoScotland last year as a Modern Apprentice in Business Administration.

We caught up with Emma at the Scottish Open Judo Tournament 2026, where she was welcoming athletes, completing event registration, and supporting medal ceremonies.

Working in collaboration with sportscotland and Enable Works, the goal of the Modern Apprenticeship Programme is to support young disabled persons into the workplace while gaining qualification and paid roles.

“I really like interacting with athletes and members,” Emma said. “When you’re at events, you really feel the atmosphere, and I like being part of it. I never thought I’d go into sport because I’m not a sporty person, but I wouldn’t tell anyone to rule it out. You can get into sport at any age.”

As well as supporting events, Emma is responsible for assisting the team with key business functions at JudoScotland, including membership renewals, club gradings, and issuing certificates and badges. This work plays an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

“I’ve developed my confidence and I’m learning how best to communicate in a professional environment, and I’ve learned a lot of this from the colleagues I work with,” Emma said.

Emma describes herself as ‘differently-abled’ a term she says reflects how she sees herself in the world.

“The apprenticeship is helping differently-abled people or those who are neurodivergent or visually impaired, into work within the sport sector” she explained. “It can be hard to get into places when you’re seen as different.

“It’s not a bad thing being neurodivergent. It can make things harder, and you often have to work twice as hard as everyone else. The world is built for neurotypical people – it’s not built for people who think differently.”

Recommending the apprenticeship route, Emma says it provides vital support as she enters the workplace, and her Employment Co-ordinator has offered one-to-one support that she previously lacked in other roles.

Supporting the apprenticeship is Chief Executive of JudoScotland Judith McCleary. She said: “Working in sport can make a real difference to people’s lives. There’s always something exciting going on, and you can see the impact sport makes.”

Judith describes how JudoScotland has been on a journey of inclusion through implementation of its ‘Judo For All’ strategy to make judo accessible to everyone.

“We recognise the importance of inclusion; the organisation is committed to building a workforce – including staff, coaches, referees, and supporters – that reflects this ambition and creates positive, welcoming environments for all.”

Judith explains that while the opportunity for Emma has been important, the education and learning within the wider team has been critical.

"When the opportunity for an apprenticeship came up, we saw it as a real opportunity. It benefits our wider staff team as we learn through doing and through working with people with additional needs. It helps us to adapt and improve as an employer and in delivering services we provide to meet our members’ needs.”

“Emma is a huge asset to the team, and it’s great to see her taking an active role at events such as the Scottish Open Judo Tournament. She takes real pride in ensuring everything is organised,” she said.

Reflecting on the opportunity for wider sport to be more inclusive. “Inclusion is happening across sport. Learning through doing and creating more shadowing opportunities would help build confidence and drive inclusion,” Judith said.

sportscotland extended the apprenticeship scheme to eighteen months which gives apprentices more time to build on their experiences and prepare for the next steps in finding full-time employment.

Ashley Ryan, Director of Enable Works, reflects on the broader value of the programme- “Inclusive partnerships like this don’t just benefit individuals. They strengthen workplaces and help build more diverse, forward-thinking organisations. Through inclusive apprenticeships, we can create lasting change and open more opportunities for young disabled people to thrive.”

Katie Oman, Partnership Manager with sportscotland, said: Emma and Judo Scotland are a remarkable example of what can be achieved with inclusive apprenticeships.

Through strong partnerships, our goal is to continue to support more young disabled people into work in sport and develop a sport sector that reflects the diversity of Scotland, which is better placed to inspire the nation, remove barriers, and ensure everyone feels they belong.