Communication and collaboration are key to change
As we continue to keep our post-Summit momentum in full gear, it is great to hear ways in which organisations and professionals are steering change in the industry.
Continued collaboration and communication between organisations, venues and from person to person are key to carving out cohesive pathways for change, however big or small, across the turfcare industry. The main outcomes of our first Summit in Madrid, highlighted by working groups, were ‘Education and Training’ as areas to be improved. Developing policies to re- organise education as well as strategies to improve communication were viewed as long-term and achievable goals.
Prioritising education, career entry and progression
Alison Robinson, Principal of Myerscough College, has put such words into action, having met up with Jim Croxton, CEO of BIGGA and Geoff Webb, CEO of the IOG, in January 2019, as she explained: “It was the first time I had invited Jim and Geoff to Myerscough and we plan to meet more regularly and collaborate more. We discussed recruitment in the industry, shared research, case studies and figures on gender. We also looked at career progression, the existing Continued Professional
Development pathways and identified prospective gaps in how our academic policies and qualifications could map together across all our organisations. It is important to create a consistent structure in education.”
At the Summit ‘aligning training programmes’ was a top solution. From the different perspectives of Myerscough, golf and the wider industry of the IOG, Alison’s meeting threw up a number of constructive ideas. Alison recognises the necessity to marry up educational models and streamline academic qualifications to benefit students, apprentices and steps on the career pathway, as she continued: “One point I am keen to pursue is to realign our Level III framework for apprenticeships by looking at the models we all currently have and modify them so they all fall into one coherent framework. I would like to see this done with the industry’s academic criteria so that our Levels and academic qualifications are consistent.”
Meanwhile, at Essex County Cricket Club, Stuart Kerrison, Head Groundsman has made a concerted effort following on from discussions at the Summit, as he said: “I have looked at some of the things I saw at Madrid, but cost has stopped us getting much further. The discussions we had in Madrid regarding educating all the ‘stakeholders’ involved in the various sports has shaped some of our strategies for helping grassroots cricket grounds.”
Stuart and his team are running an education day in the East end of London in March, as he adds: “Our education day is to advise and guide local clubs to be more self-sufficient. We are also hoping for a better understanding from players as to what is involved and why conditions are as they are. This has been highlighted by the attack from Mark Ramperkash, batting coach for the England cricket team, on Sky Sports, against the quality of pitches in County cricket. It has raised the heckles of a lot of groundsmen around the country!”.
Since the Summit, Forest Green Rovers Football Club, Head Groundsman Adam Witchell has been busy making a difference at a grassroots level, as he says: “I am currently looking at getting my grounds assistant on to his Level 2 and writing a FGR Groundpersons Career Plan, making sure that anyone who may choose to work on the grounds side at FGR has a clear route and I can give them all the information needed and help them to be an asset to the industry.
“I am also working with the community side of the club and looking at local parks which may have, or want sports pitches and we will look at helping in the maintenance of the pitches. We have been maintaining the local school pitch and got it to a standard where the Academy are now paying the school to hire it for training.”
On Twitter recently, Adam commented on his visit to various football clubs around South Wiltshire, observing that there are “some brilliant individuals doing excellent work for these facilities”, namely the volunteers and added: “The work I was doing in South Wiltshire was for the FA as part of its Pitch Improvement Programme in conjunction with the IOG and GaNIP.”
Dedicated focus groups
On the 14th May, a dedicated Turf Business Focus Group will take place at Manchester City Football Club’s Etihad Stadium providing the platform for delegates to talk about many of the issues and opportunities raised at the Summit. Meanwhile, on 9th May, Danny Negus, Head Groundsman at Devonshire Park will host his educational seminar at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, inviting to up to 30 students from nearby Plumpton Horticultural College to hear presentations, try out machinery and learn more about plant nutrition.
Looking ahead to Portugal
Already a confirmed date on the turfcare calendar, the second Turf Business Summit will take place in October at Portugal’s stunning Quinta do Lago resort with Golf Superintendent, Paul O’Mahony, hosting the event. In the months to come, leading up to Portugal, Turf Business would like to continue this dialogue with the industry. Please send us details of any steering groups, seminars, focus groups and meetings that are being planned.
