Press releases
Training critical for successful business
17 May 2006
Training is critical for any business to be successful – and no more so than in the field of greenkeeping.
“All too often I hear from course managers that the club won’t support staff training or staff aren’t currently going to college due to budget cuts,” said Education Director at the Greenkeepers’ Training Committee (GTC), David Golding.
“I have to say that in answer to both of these comments, it is often down to ignorance about the modern formal training system.”
He explained that all staff must have some skills to do what they are employed for. “Where they have been taught their current skills is irrelevant,” said David. “However, employers should be looking to develop their staff to their maximum potential.
“This has to be good practice both for staff morale and for the course – a multi-skilled operative is worth ten cheap limited skilled staff.”
But training does not have to be expensive or mean employers must send staff off to college. “Most greenkeeping skills training should be carried out at the golf course by the course manager with only specialist skills covered by statutory regulation such as Health & Safety or pesticide spraying for example, needing external input,” he added.
The GTC has trained many course managers and several deputies to be aware of their formal role in training and assessment . “But so often I hear that trainees feel they are not receiving the level of support from their boss especially when they have been registered on a vocational qualification or apprenticeship,” said David.
He reminded employers that course managers – or in some cases, the deputy – must be formally involved with the centre where the learner is registered for vocational qualifications.
“Any competent course manager will be involved in their staff skills development, at the same time keeping the employer informed of their own continual professional development.
“The GTC makes no apologies for raising this problem as it has invested heavily in course manager training to ensure skills development can be the norm at the golf course,” David said.
He explained that the land-based colleges who have traditionally “taught” greenkeepers have in the main now accepted that the skills should be coached by the course manager and have designed various methods of offering the knowledge and qualifications through different delivery methods.
The knowledge required to underpin the skills is also now available in hardcopy and CD format from the GTC. “And there are some excellent examples or where course managers use every spare moment – such as inclement weather – to discuss the theory with the learners,” David added.
“Our friends in the colleges do still have a major role to play with the work academic courses and qualifications such as the Higher National Certificate or Foundation Degree and these awards can be studied in a variety of ways including on-line and distance learning.
“It is for employers to ensure the course managers manage not only the course but also the maintenance facility and greenstaff development,” David said.
“As an employer, please be aware that skills training is vital to the golf course and it is the course manager in association with the employer who can make a course the one that golfers want to play and the one where greenkeepers want to work!”
