Melbourne Football Club has backtracked over a "poorly-worded" job advertisement seeking students for an 11-month unpaid role.
The Demons copped backlash in their pursuit to secure volunteers to join their Football Technology Pathway Program from December 2020 to October 2021 with contact hours varying from 10-25 hours per week.
"An exciting opportunity has become available for 3-4 individuals to volunteer within the club's football department for the 2021 season," the advertisement read.
"Reporting to the football analysis team, the successful individuals will contribute to a broad range of areas within all four of our teams in the AFL, VFL, AFLW and VFLW.
"This program would best suit students or graduates from either an exercise and sports science, information technology, statistical and multimedia background, who have a strong interest and understanding of AFL football."
The advertisement quickly copped backlash, particularly after the strides made to protect students and interns in recent years from exploitative entry positions.
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Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert quickly moved to explain the situation and conceded the advertisement had been "poorly-worded."
"The scope and intent of the program was to keep the time frame flexible, to allow us to accommodate students at any month of the proposed period," Pert told the Herald Sun.
"To be clear, this pathway program does not run for a total of 11 months. Instead, the duration of the program is predicated on the student's individual course requirements and no student's hours will exceed the amount they need to complete their university unit.
"The club accepts that there were elements of the advertisement that were worded poorly and lacked clarity, and we will ensure this does not occur again."
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