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September 20, 2024
Leading sportswear brand, Nike is helping to expand and develop the athlete talent pipeline by providing meaningful work experience through its newly launched “GameOn” initiative. With support from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Games (USOPC), it intends to highlight the importance of disability inclusion while broadening the career funnel for all athletes. Interested candidates can submit their applications for a one-year program at Nike’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The first GameOn cohort will begin Feb 4, 2025.
The brand believes that a career pathway for athletes is important because it can help them transition to a successful post-sports career. According to Activity Alliance, this is even more important for disabled athletes because they’re able to create inclusive structures and continue to advocate for positive wellbeing and mental health in their next venture. Transferable skills can be applied to a variety of careers in and outside of sports, including business, finance and sales.
“At Nike, we believe in the power of sport to move the world forward,” says James Loduca, VP and Chief Diversity Officer at NIKE. “Worldwide, our mission is to level the playing field and expand access to sport for everyone. By working with the USOPC to promote GameOn, we can continue to reach diverse, creative talent for employment who can contribute and grow their careers through sport.”
GameOn was announced during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where more than 4,000 elite athletes competed. The initiative not only aims to raise awareness of the importance of disability inclusion but also expands career pipelines for applicants who seek to develop their careers with Nike. Paralympic athletes are welcome to submit their applications for consideration to the program.
“There’s a unique thread through Paralympic athletes…we know that what we’re doing is changing attitudes and hearts and minds and elevating disability rights across the world. As I was winding down my competitive career, I started to think about what comes next,” said 3-time Paralympian Dr. Cheri Blauwet, who now serves as Chairperson for the International Paralympic Committee Medical Commission.
“I decided to apply to medical school because I felt like it would offer me a really great foundation to then branch off in many different areas of providing care for patients as a sports medicine clinician, engaging in research to help us understand how to prevent injuries in elite athletes, including Paralympic athletes. And also be able to continue to use that skill set to be able to speak and talk about the impact of Paralympic sport on health, as well as the importance of promoting physical activity across all populations, including underserved populations or in places where we may look at someone and make an assumption in our head, ‘but they can’t be active’, but actually they can.”
GameOn participants will engage in a range of educational and professional development to support their career goals. From inclusive design to global marketplace exposure, they will have a chance to gain relevant and dynamic work experiences while being embedded at Nike’s world-renowned campus. Successful program candidates will also be entitled to employment benefits and relocation assistance for those in need.
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