Blues players warm up at Ikon Park. Picture: AFL Photos

CARLTON will add a second diploma and nearly triple its yearly intake of students as part of its rapidly growing Carlton College of Sport program based at Ikon Park this year.

The Blues were delighted with the success of the program throughout its first year of operation, with roughly 20 percent of students scoring roles directly in sport and a further 25 percent of students articulating back into study programs at partner university La Trobe.

The program will run a Diploma of Elite Sport Business in 2020, adding to the Diploma of Sports Coaching and Development it ran in 2019, while the club has also enhanced its College of Sport facilities at Ikon Park to include a second level in the old Heroes Stand.

Key note speakers will again include club greats like Chris Judd, while CEO Cain Liddle will hold lectures on sport business and new Blues head of development and triple-premiership Brisbane great Luke Power will run a development address throughout the year.

"We capitalise on not only the Carlton links that we have, but also potential links through our massive corporate network," Liddle told AFL.com.au.

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"We can have CEOs of major corporations coming in and speaking to the group, based on the relationships we've got.

"Four of our students to get jobs in the industry were directly with us. More than 25 percent have articulated back into La Trobe and will continue studying, so it's a good outcome."

Students at the Carlton College of Sports study at Ikon Park. Picture: Carlton Football Club

Carlton believes its College of Sport has five unique elements that differ to other university programs, including the ability to run the program out of elite sporting facilities at Ikon Park and get 100 hours of on-the-job training within the Carlton Football Club.

Two students last year also travelled with the Blues to their pre-season training camp in Mooloolaba, while other students worked in event management on game days, conducted hosting duties on best and fairest nights and were involved in the MCG Grand Final live site.

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Networking opportunities, educational elements and the unique job outcomes are other additional benefits of the program.

Carlton will run an open day for the Carlton College of Sport at Ikon Park from 2pm AEDT on Saturday 1 February.

For more information and for those willing to apply, please visit this link: https://carltoncollegeofsport.com.au/media/