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- Spend your days maintaining sports pitches and grounds
- Physical, outdoor work in all weathers
- Opportunities to progress into supervisory roles, facility management or set up your own business
As a groundsperson, you could work for a private leisure company, school or park, keeping the sports ground in good condition.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Preparing land for laying turf (grass)
- Rolling and mowing grass
- Marking lines on pitches or greens
- Installing and maintaining equipment
- Operating equipment like strimmers and ride-on mowers
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work at a school, in a park, or on a sports field, and you might be outdoors in all weathers. You may need a driving licence for some jobs.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with the ability to be thorough and pay attention to detail, physical skills, customer service, sensitivity and understanding, and who works well with others.
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in sports surface management, sports turf management or horticulture.
You might find it helpful to do a college qualification before looking for work, such as Sports and Amenity Turf Maintenance, Practical Horticulture Skills, or Horticulture.
An intermediate apprenticeship as a sports turf operative could also help you become a groundsperson.
You may be able to find work as an assistant groundsperson without qualifications, to then work your way up by getting experience and studying on the job.
You could also take qualifications with an industry body such as the Institute of Groundsmanship who offer courses in turf surface maintenance and management.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to supervisor, team leader or head of section. You could get training from the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG).