GROW WITH THE GMA
Top class! Having recently gained her Level 2 Technical Diploma in Turf Surface Maintenance with Distinction, 45-year-old Joanne Rawlinson outlines her career path from hotel management to becoming a key member of the Charterhouse grounds team
Colin Hoskins Editor
How were you introduced to the industry? After leaving school, I attended Guildford College to study hotel management and I worked for eight years at a hotel. I then spent two years travelling Australia and, upon my return, worked in an office for three years or more. It was while at the office (and approaching my 30th birthday) that I decided I didn’t want to spend the rest of my working life inside, so I enrolled on the one-year, full-time Certificate of Horticulture course at Merrist Wood College. The course involved a broad range of subjects including plant/soil science, machinery, plant identification and garden design, and it was potentially the best thing I have ever done. I joined Guildford Borough Council in a fulltime role in charge of a mowing round, and I was there for three years. But something was ‘missing’ – with the amount of grass, it was more about getting the round done as soon as possible rather than making it look pretty. Then I was alerted to a position in the grounds department at Charterhouse, which I’m glad to say I was offered and I have spent the past 11 years there. I absolutely love the job, love the school and I love being able to make the grounds look the best they can.
What is your job title and your role? My official title is grounds person – I’m one of seven grounds staff (and six gardeners) and as a team we maintain pitches for football, rugby and lacrosse, grass cricket squares and artificial cricket strips, plus Astro surfaces for hockey, artificial areas for tennis and netball, a six-lane athletics track with two jump pits, shot putt, javelin and discuss facilities, as well as a ninehole golf course and a woodland area. Looking after all these different areas and sports through the year means it is never boring.
You’ve recently been accredited to Level 2: have you undertaken any other training?
Joanne enjoys the variety involved in her role as grounds person at Charterhouse
At Merrist Wood I attained my PA 1 and 6 spraying certificates, and at Charterhouse I have completed my tractor-mounted spraying course, and buggy and tractor training, as well as powered hand tool training for strimmers, brush cutters, blowers etc. It seems that every month I learn something new, which is one of many reasons I love it so much.
Your Level 2 was an online course. How did you find that? I struggled a little at first; I seem to learn better if I’m shown something rather than reading about it. But I started writing a diary of what I was learning and trying to put some of those things into practice at work, so that they would stay in my head – and things got easier.
What does the future hold? Visit www.thegma.org.uk/learning for details of GMA training and education
I’m really happy here and I may undertake another qualification. Who knows what the future may bring? ■
thegma.org.uk | GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 31
