Blundstone Tasmania Academy of Leadership and Sport (TALS), an education program led by Tasmania Football Club in partnership with Tasmania JackJumpers, Hobart Hurricanes and Netball Tasmania and powered by TasTAFE has today announced a nation-leading partnership with University of Tasmania.

The partnership creates an accelerated 2.5-year university degree pathway for budding sports administrators where graduates of TALS receive 1.5 years credit toward a Bachelor of Business.

TALS was first established in 2025, and 11 students from the inaugural TALS cohort have already progressing into this UTAS degree. For the students this pathway unlocks real industry placements integrated with their UTAS studies and a faster, more efficient, and engaging degree pathway.

The TALS program and the collaboration across Tasmanian sports Clubs has created a first-of-its-kind pathway from education to employment in sports administration.  The partnership keeps young off-field talent in Tasmania, and brings new students to the island, it addresses workforce growth in the sports and entertainment industry and strengthens collaboration between education and professional sport 

“This first-of-its-kind collaboration benefits Tasmanian students. We are thrilled to be able to take the next step with the TALS program and provide the tertiary education opportunity to our graduates in partnership with UTAS," said Tasmania's Head of Education and Impact, Jesse O’Hara.

"We are now in year two of TALS and we have over 85 students studying in Launceston and Hobart to pursue the off-field sports dreams. 

"We have several students from our first year who have already taken up the UTAS opportunity and we expect many more from this year’s cohort.

"We know the power of combining sport and education and the opportunities that can create for our students, this is evidenced already and we expect this to continue to increase in impact as the Tasmanian sports industry continues to grow.

"We would like to recognise our partners – Tasmania JackJumpers, Hobart Hurricanes, Netball Tasmania, TasTAFE and of course, University of Tasmania.  This collaboration is one of true partnership, we are stronger and more impactful when working together.”

“We’re absolutely committed to advancing educational attainment in Tasmania and the TALS partnership is a great example of the ways we can do this,” University of Tasmania Deputy Vice-Chancellor Student Services and Operations Kate Huntington said.

“As a result of the TALS partnership, we have students in Business, Education, and Sport and Exercise Science courses at our campuses across the state and we look forward to opening up educational pathways for many more Tasmanians in the future.”

For more information on TALS and the UTAS degree contact tasacademy.com.au