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etrainu Launches Qualifications to Support the Lifelong Development of Coaches and Officials; Sees Early Adoption from Rugby Australia and Football Australia
For years, coaches and officials have dedicated their time and energy to the world of sports. However, many have faced a silent frustration: the need to repeat the same training every year just to maintain their accreditation, with little understanding of how this learning contributes to their overall growth. This recurring theme has resonated at etrainu.
“Individuals were doing everything right - completing their training on time and checking all the boxes - but they still felt stuck,” said Alicia Densley, Chief Operating Officer at etrainu. “We felt it was time to turn that around.”
Qualifications provide coaches and officials with a clear and motivating learning journey. Instead of redoing entire courses every year, learners can now maintain their qualifications through structured development activities, such as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or refresher content aligned with their sport’s standards.
The real power lies in how customisable the system is. Sporting organisations can map Qualifications to their own rules, frameworks, and accreditation processes, creating tailored pathways that reflect their unique requirements and expectations.
Once these rules and pathways are established, the system seamlessly tracks progress, prompting learners when it’s time to take action and providing administrators with real-time insights on compliance.
“No two sports, or roles, are the same,” said Densley. “With Qualifications, organisations have the flexibility to define what development looks like for them, and have the confidence that their people are progressing in a way that truly matters.”
“It’s not just about saving time,” continues Densley. “It’s about recognising progress. It’s about showing learners where they are, what they’ve accomplished, and what steps lie ahead.”
Early adopters of the feature include Rugby Australia and Football Australia.
Jacqui Hurford, General Manager at Football Australia, highlights how the platform is helping them develop better officials in the sport.
"For us, Qualifications have been a huge piece of our reform journey. Enhancing our engagement with match officials and how they come into the game and progress through our pathways ultimately creates a better product. When we create a better product on the field, it not only shows, but also entices more people to join our refereeing family.”
This focus on improving performance on the field also resonates with Rugby Australia.
“The long-term benefits of Qualifications will help our coaches develop a lifelong love for learning. From that learning, they can embark on a unique journey to become the best coaches they can be while specialising along the way - honing their craft as coaches,” says Michael Magriplis, Head of Community Coaching at Rugby Australia.
From the perspective of match officials, Rugby Australia has seen exciting engagement with the system. Graham Cooper, Head of Match Officials, highlights this success.
“Our match officials have engaged with the platform exceptionally well. In the first few months, about 1,600 of our match officials have interacted with the platform, which is impressive considering we usually have around 1,800 officials at this time of year. This immediate connection to the platform is encouraging.”
“The quality we see on the field reflects the education we provide. Our ultimate goal is to improve our officials’ performance on the field.”
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For coaches and officials, the user experience is straightforward. They can log in, view their development plan at a glance, and take charge of their growth at their own pace.
For sporting organisations, Qualifications eliminates redundancy, boosts engagement, and clarifies expectations across a diverse workforce.
Ultimately, for the realm of sport as a whole, this represents a significant leap toward sustainable lifelong learning that evolves alongside individuals rather than against them.
“Qualifications unlock potential,” says Densley. “We’re helping coaches and officials see their development as a continuous journey, not a checklist; with every step recognised and every achievement celebrated.”
Still interested in learning more, let Alicia explain how Qualifications work in 60 seconds.
Click here to learn more about Qualifications.
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