How Football Kit Design is Opening Doors for Young People
How Football Kit Design is Opening Doors for Young People
At Spark Design Academy, we believe creativity isn’t just a skill — it’s a gateway. A gateway to confidence, to career possibilities, and to seeing a future that feels full of colour instead of closed doors. That’s why we’re proud to announce our new partnership with MCR Pathways, Scotland’s groundbreaking mentoring programme, as it evolves to give young people not only trusted adult support but also practical, industry-relevant skills that can shape real careers.
Published: October 22, 2026 10:46 am
Mentoring with a Creative Edge
MCR Pathways has already changed thousands of lives. Founded in Glasgow in 2007, the charity pairs young people from challenging backgrounds — many of them care-experienced — with reliable adult mentors. The results speak for themselves: higher school attendance, better attainment, and stronger future prospects.
Now, under new CEO Sharon McIntyre, MCR Pathways is taking its next bold step. The trusted relationship remains at the heart of everything. But the programme is expanding to include structured skills development, career exploration and genuine industry exposure.
Young people involved in the scheme have spoken about feeling anxious about the future and sensing that “the economy has no place for them.” As Sharon puts it: “If you’ve been in a place of hardship then you sit in an opportunity deficit. We want to build into the programme a belief that there’s not only a place for you post-school but there’s a thriving place for you.”
Design as a Starting Point — Not the Finish Line
This is where Spark Design Academy comes in.
We’re launching online, accredited creative training courses focused on football kit and footwear design. Mentors and their young people will work through these courses together. What begins as the excitement of designing a football strip becomes a powerful vehicle for developing mathematics, research, presentation, problem-solving and business skills.
As our CEO and founder Craig Buglass explains: “It’s not just the designer. There’s thousands of jobs that go around it.”
Craig knows this from experience. He designed the iconic 2002 World Cup-winning Brazil kit and has worked with global brands including Nike, Puma and Belstaff. Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia, he understands how traditional routes into work don’t always fit everyone. His mission — and ours at Spark Design Academy — is to show young people the full landscape of opportunities in the creative industries and equip them with the confidence to step into that landscape.
Career paths are constantly evolving. Knowing how to research, present ideas and “command a room” is just as valuable as technical design ability. Our courses are built to develop both.
Real Relationships, Real Futures
The power of mentoring is already clear in stories like that of Suzanne and Eva. Suzanne became a mentor after hearing about MCR Pathways through her work. Eva was referred by her guidance teacher during a difficult period in her life. Their early meetings were nervous — Eva describes herself at the time as “the most stubborn, moodiest person.” Yet a shared love of The Vampire Diaries broke the ice, and a trusted relationship grew.
Today Eva is in S6, studying Highers and Advanced Highers alongside a college course in legal studies, with ambitions to become a procurator fiscal. Suzanne has been a consistent source of guidance, career advice and quiet belief. They plan to stay in touch beyond school.
It’s these relationships that form the foundation. Our design courses are designed to sit alongside them — giving mentors and young people a shared project that sparks curiosity, builds skills and opens conversations about the many routes into creative and related industries.
Broadening Horizons
Independent evaluation has already shown the impact of MCR Pathways: thousands of additional days of school attendance and a meaningful reduction in exclusions among care-experienced pupils. Now the focus is on what comes next — helping young people move confidently into positive destinations after school.
Social media algorithms can narrow a young person’s view of what’s possible. We want to do the opposite. Through football kit design and the wider creative process, we aim to show the colour and richness of opportunities that exist — and to help young people believe they belong in them.
At Spark Design Academy, we’re excited to play our part in this transformation. By combining MCR Pathways’ proven mentoring model with hands-on creative training, we’re helping turn potential into pathways.
If you’re a young person, mentor, educator or industry partner interested in learning more about our courses or this collaboration, we’d love to hear from you.
Creativity opens doors. We’re here to help young people walk through them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is competitive and requires treating the craft seriously. People who succeed combine genuine passion for football with commercial awareness, technical production knowledge, and consistent output. Those who only design “for fun” rarely progress. Those who ship complete, production-minded concepts open real doors at brands, agencies and suppliers.
Build a targeted portfolio, then start applying and networking. Reach out to creative directors, brand managers and independent kit suppliers on LinkedIn. Share your work publicly. Apply for roles even if you feel under-qualified — the feedback and connections are valuable. Specialised short courses that teach industry workflows can also accelerate progress and give you credible credentials.
The full journey from initial research to the kit appearing on players usually takes 12–18 months. It involves deep research into the club’s history and culture, conversations with the club and fans, multiple design rounds, sampling, feedback, and final production checks. Designers balance player performance needs with fan emotion and brand requirements.
Hire-ready portfolios typically contain 3–4 full club or national-team concepts. Each concept should show clear narrative (club history, culture or story), technical flat drawings, colourways, and enough production detail that a factory could understand the design. Avoid random “cool shirt” ideas — focus on complete, commercially viable collections.
Adobe Illustrator is non-negotiable for creating vector flats and production artwork. Photoshop is useful for mock-ups and presentation. Knowledge of tech-pack creation, dye-sublimation limitations, and basic 3D tools (such as CLO3D or Browzwear) gives you a clear advantage. Understanding how kits are manufactured is just as important as pure design skill.
Yes. Many successful designers started with no formal training. You will need to learn the fundamentals of vector design (primarily Adobe Illustrator) and layout, but you do not need prior industry experience. Dedicated practice on free mock-ups and real kit reverse-engineering is enough to get started.
With focused, structured work, most people can create a competitive portfolio in 3–6 months. You only need 3–4 complete kit concepts (home, away and third) that include storytelling, clean flat drawings, colourways and basic technical specifications. Quality and commercial thinking matter far more than quantity.
No. A traditional degree in fashion, graphic design or apparel is not required. Hiring managers at brands like Nike, Adidas and Puma prioritise a commercial, production-ready portfolio, strong Adobe Illustrator skills, and a solid understanding of tech packs and manufacturing over academic certificates. Many working kit designers come from completely different backgrounds.
Latest News
Latest News
Contact Us
