Arul Suppiah QUALIFIES AS A TEACHER Arul Suppiah, the former Somerset batsman, has qualified as a teacher two years after his playing career was ended by a chronic knee injury. Suppiah has worked as director of cricket at Queen’s College in Taunton since January 2014 and he has now obtained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Buckinghamshire University. Ian Thomas, one of the PCA’s six-strong team of Personal Development and Welfare Managers, helped Suppiah to find his first teaching job after he was forced to retire from cricket and the two have remained in close contact. ” Ian has been brilliant. When I had to retire we sat down and put together a plan to try to get the best opportunity for me,” Suppiah said. ” He helped me to get my CV out there and then it was a case of knocking on the doors of local schools to see if they had an opportunity and, luckily, there was one at Queen’s. ” Speaking as an ex-player, I think it’s vitally important to have that channel that the PDMs provide to help the transition from cricket. The PCA do a tremendous job, not just in helping ex-players into work but the whole package.” Suppiah still has to complete a probationary year as a newly-qualified teacher at Queen’s but he is enjoying his new role. ” It’s a very friendly school and I am enjoying the job,” he said. ” It’s quite different to playing but it’s a good challenge and I am still involved in cricket which is the main thing.” {{ak_sharing}}
