Grow with the GMA

G R O W W I T H T H E G M A

By Colin Hoskins Editor

SPURRED ON TO LEARN

A trip to Tottenham Hotspur FC’s iconic grounds has inspired two students to look into apprenticeships

The students visited both Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the club’s training ground (above) with Academy head groundsman Nick Phillips, third right

At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Darren Baldwin (fourth from right), from left: Sam Cain, GMA Young Board director; students Harley Coplen, Kyle Moran and Victor Ndungu; tutors Dean Johnson and Jane Meaden; Larry Pearman, regional sales manager, Reesink Turfcare UK (Reesink Toro are sponsors of the GMA Young Board); and student Jack Turner

Little did Spurs fan Harley Coplen

know that his visit to last year’s WorldSkills UK LIVE exhibition would culminate in him winning a tour of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the club’s training ground – and spur on thoughts of him and a fellow student entering industry apprenticeships.

Harley visited the Grounds Management Association (GMA ) Young Board’s ‘careers in grounds management’ stand at the event, held at the NEC, Birmingham, last November, with tutors and fellow students from the Robert Clack School of Science in Dagenham. As a result of entering the draw on the stand, Harley won the trip for him and a group of peers from more than 200 entries.

“I am proud to say that I am a Spurs fan,” says Harley, “and the stadium is phenomenal. I was taken aback by just

“I have learned a lot about becoming a groundsman and I have decided to pursue an apprenticeship”

how big it is and especially by how much work goes into the pitch to make it look so good for the spectators and for it to accommodate the players’ needs. I have learned a lot about becoming a groundsman and the hard work involved, and I have decided that I would like to pursue an apprenticeship in the industry.

AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER “I would like to say a massive thank you to the GMA and everyone at the stadium and training ground for the experience, and for ensuring we got the most out of our trip.”

Jane Meaden, one of the tutors who accompanied the group, added: “A big thank you to the Spurs grounds staff who gave us an incredible tour and insight into the workings of the training ground and the stadium – where we saw how things worked pitch-side as well as ‘underground’ where the sliding pitch is stored.

“We all had a great time and we now have a couple of future groundsmen in the making. A special thank you to Darren Baldwin, head of playing surfaces and estates at Tottenham Hotspur FC, for making the day so entertaining.”

iVisit www.thegma.org.uk/learning/

careers/career-advice for more information about apprenticeships

WORLDSKILLS UK LIVE

WorldSkills UK LIVE at the NEC is one of a number of events attended by the GMA’s Young Board to raise awareness of the industry as a career option, highlighting the sector’s inherent science and technology to also aid teachers in contextualising maths and science in the classroom. The Young Board strategy is based on developing promotional material and engaging with young people, guiding them towards a clear pathway into a rewarding career in grounds management. Young Board members give up their own time to organise and support Young GMA initiatives attending and supporting a range of career events through the year.