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'The Birmingham Commonwealth Games helped me get a job'

BBC Izzy PlainBBC
Izzy Plain started working at the Games after graduating from university

A woman whose first paid job was supporting the Commonwealth Games said the event helped her launch her career.

Izzy Plain had just graduated when she started full-time work, helping to plan Birmingham 2022 by coordinating badminton matches.

The event finished in August, leaving Ms Plain in need of work.

But with the contacts she had made, she said she was able to land a role with Badminton England, coordinating major events for them.

The Shropshire resident, who starts on Monday, said: "Without the skills I got at the Games I wouldn't have got the skills for the job I'm about to go into."

Getty Images General view during the Muller Birmingham Diamond League, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Alexander StadiumGetty Images
The revamped Alexander Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies as well as athletics events

A report from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) found the Games created 40,000 jobs and skills opportunities for local people, including 14,000 volunteers to support visitors and athletes.

"The Games were the best experience ever," Ms Plain said. "I finished university and went into the Games straight after.

"I didn't have any events experience before so it was a bit of a crash course of 10 months learning all things badminton and events, but I really loved my experience."

Getty Images Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith of Team England compete against Koong Le Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah of Team Malaysia during the Badminton Women's Doubles - Gold Medal Match on day eleven of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC ArenaGetty Images
Badminton events were hosted at the NEC Arena

Ms Plain said: "I guess I just hoped that I would get a bit of experience but then I ended up being quite heavily involved in organising the badminton and I never imagined I would get a job at the end of it at all."

Two in three people from the local area also engaged with the Commonwealth Games, a survey conducted by Ipsos for the DCMS found, with a quarter of those polled saying they turned up to watch the Queen's Baton Relay across the region.

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