4 minute read
Grow with the GMA
Since I left school seven years ago – a relatively short time but every moment has been put to good use. I’ve gained some great knowledge and had some fantastic experiences along the way.
How were you introduced to the industry and what is your career path to date?
I was introduced to the trade via an apprenticeship – I’ve been in horticulture since school and, having grown up outdoors, l have very much had green fingers from a young age. The outdoor lifestyle has always been for me. I started my career at a local gardening company as an apprentice gardener, which has led to a few positions; senior gardener at Nature’s Way, assistant greenkeeper at The Belfry, assistant groundsman at the University of Nottingham, groundsman at Nottingham Forest FC and groundsman at Sydney University Sports and Fitness in Australia.
Where are you currently working and what is your job title? What tasks do you undertake there?
I am head of grounds at Crosfields School in Reading. Situated on a 42-acre site, we have a lot going on – daily tasks range from preparing the sports surfaces to chainsaw work, planting and hard landscaping. We really do like to take on challenges, which is great – it gives me and the
Colin Hoskins
Currently seeking accreditation to the Level 5 GMA Professional Diploma in Turf Surface Management – to complement a host of other qualifications – 24-year-old Bradley Tennant provides an insight into how an international communications hub is designed to help and encourage not only experienced turf managers but also those new to the industry
How long have you been involved in grounds care?
Editor
team a great variety of jobs. There is never a dull day. While we do look after the entire grounds, a major part of our routine is the preparation of cricket wickets, football, rugby, athletics, tennis – you name it. We carry out all the usual tasks such as topdressing, verti-draining, seeding, mowing and marking.
What other qualifications do you have, to complement your current quest for Level 5?
Alongside work I have been beavering away at qualifications; gaining Amenity Horticulture Levels 2 and 3, Sports Turf Maintenance Levels 3 and 4, as well as Pa1, 2, 6. Also, while in Australia, I completed a few courses run by the STA – wicket 101 and 201, and First Aid. If I haven’t done it yet, it’s on my list to do at some point! Education is everything. I’ll never know it all but I can have a good go, then pass on that knowledge to the next generation. I really enjoy it; learning something new and bettering myself really does put a smile on my face.
Tell me about the International Greenkeepers For Hire hub
I was offered a position at Sydney University, starting in October 2019, and I was introduced to one of the most important people I’ve met during my career – head groundsman Daryl Davidson who, along with passing on his experience and knowledge about preparing wickets and looking after warm-season grasses, exhibits all the passion for the job in the world.
We’ve all seen a number of great turf managers and trainees leave the industry for various reasons and that’s such a shame. I believe one of our biggest goals is to promote the next generation of greenkeepers and grounds staff and, wanting to get involved to help this industry survive, Daryl, myself and eight others created the online group that you see today as the organisation International Greenkeepers For Hire (IGFH). We consider this an international hub for greenkeepers, grounds staff and volunteers, and to date we’ve gathered over 3,000 members over all our platforms. These groups are free to join and you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube (for our educational videos). Our aim is to unite turf managers, promote the industry and help share the art with others.
It’s been a long road getting to where we are today and we’ve all spent tireless hours on calls, finding content and job listings while creating the website. But it’s been fantastic to see the results.
Bradley helped to set up the online hub International Greenkeepers For Hire (IGFH)
Search for International Greenkeepers for Hire
www.internationalgreenkeepers.com www.instagram.com/internationalgreenkeepers/ twitter.com/IntGFH or join the private Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/170802567173372/?ref=share
We’ve helped people find work, education and provided an international hub where you can speak with turf managers from all over the world!
In the future we’d like to create our own scholarships, sending trainees and qualified turf managers overseas (or locally) to see other sites’ practices or methods. One example would be working with warm-season grasses; being from the UK, that’s something you just can’t experience here. This would be invaluable and would hopefully provide a platform to help us keep good hardworking turf managers in the sector while promoting the industry to the next generation. ■
Visit www.thegma.org.uk/learning for details of GMA training and education courses, along with news of GMA’s new part-time online tutor who is also looking at ways to encourage people to join GMA Learning.
