The biggest problem is gaining meaningfull employment when you have your badges. The 'C' badge , although not too difficult took approx 8 Months to complete as we only managed to attend 2 days every 6 weeks. The 6 weeks inbetween was obviously taken up coaching my youth team and doing paperwork and session planners for the badge. The 'B' licence takes much longer and is more intense. Trying to gain these qualifications whilst working full time and bringing up kids is difficult to say the least and where I live the prospects of any kind of career in coaching are just not available. I disagree that we have a shortage of coaches, we have a shortage of vacancies for Coaches to fill.
* Also, not knocking the lad who started the thread but this just highlights the fact that we are sending young, keen coaches overseas where other countries reap the rewards in years to come.