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assured The 32nd Australian Turfgrass Conference saw the inaugural AGCSA Future Turf Managers’ Initiative run in conjunction with Gold Partner Jacobsen. ATM looks back at the intensive two-day programme and what the 13 candidates got out of it.
Above: Thirteen aspiring turf managers from around Australia descended on Melbourne during the 32nd Australian Turfgrass Conference for the very first AGCSA Future Turf Managers’ Initiative, sponsored by Jacobsen
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aking the next step from assistant superintendent to superintendent can be a daunting one and at past Australian Turfgrass Conferences it has been the subject of a number of presentations and workshops. At the Melbourne conference in June that was taken to a new level with the hosting of the inaugural AGCSA Future Turf Managers’ Initiative (FTMI), presented in partnership with AGCSA Gold Partner Jacobsen. Following an application process earlier in the year, 13 aspiring turf managers from around the country were ultimately selected to take part in the programme which Jacobsen has successfully run in a number of countries over the past four years. The initial intake included Brock Agnew (Sanctuary Cove G&CC, Qld), Nathan Arnett (Traralgon GC, Vic), Jarrod Arps (Ryde-Parramatta GC, NSW), Liam Ash (Monash CC, NSW), Stuart Campbell (Maroochy River GC, Qld), Justin Crowe (Huntingdale GC, Vic), Rowan Daymond (The Grange GC, SA), Mark Harkness (Peninsula-Kingwood CGC, Vic), Kirsty Herring (Kalgoorlie GC, WA), Tom Hogan (Barwon Heads GC, Vic), David Hurst (Cromer GC, NSW), Stewart MacFarlane (Settlers Run G&CC, Vic) and Nick Marino (Mandalay GC, Vic). Jacobsen’s international marketing and communications manager Karen Proctor, together with the company’s Asia Pacific managing director Chuck Greif, attended the inaugural Australian FTMI and was extremely impressed with the quality of the candidates chosen: “The FTMI educational event is a great opportunity for highly motivated and career focused individuals to immerse themselves in an intense, inspiring and memorable experience,” says
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Proctor. “The course equips them with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their careers. “The quality of the applications received during the selection process was of the highest calibre demonstrating the incredible talent in Australia’s turf industry. Congratulations to the 13 candidates who now join a group of incredibly talented individuals around the globe that have graduated from this invaluable educational programme.” The group was also joined by three superintendent mentors – Justin Bradbury (Bonnie Doon GC, NSW), Steve Hewitt (Thirteenth Beach, Vic) and Ben Tilley (Headland GC, Qld) – and over two days attended a range of conference sessions as well as dedicated FTMI workshops that focused on staff and HR management, communication and personal development, as well as budgeting and CV/job interview techniques. There was also plenty of time to network with fellow FTMI delegates. Hewitt, immediate past president of the VGCSA and long-serving superintendent at Thirteenth Beach, gave the programme a huge tick of approval and says Jacobsen should be congratulated on developing the programme. “As a mentor I was encouraged by the calibre of the assistant superintendents that applied,” says Hewitt. “They all had a desire to succeed and learn and will no doubt forge successful paths in this industry. The programme was mostly centred around people management which as we all know is most important in developing a cohesive team and getting results. It was noticeable that everyone engaged with the learning and individual scenarios were shared among the group.