Ransomes Jacobsen Scholarship Scheme
The Ransomes Jacobsen Scholarship Scheme has helped fund many aspiring greenkeepers through their studies, and aided them in fulfilling their ambitions of becoming fully qualified greenkeepers. We look at this year’s graduates.
Among those who benefited from the scheme this year was David Warner, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Woking Golf Club. David spent two years studying for his Higher National Certificate on day release at Merrist Wood Campus, Guildford College.
The Merrist Wood Campus, located three miles from Guildford town centre in Worplesdon, is a 400-acre site that specialises in land-based programmes including horticulture, floristry, landscaping, garden design, animal management, countryside management, public services, sports studies, sports turf, arboriculture and equine management.
At Merrist Wood, courses in Sports Turf combine both theoretical and practical elements on a part-time, day release basis for people working in the Sports Turf industry. Courses allow access to science laboratories, computer suites, a comprehensive learning resource centre, machinery workshops and various sports turf areas on the Campus estate, students will also benefit from the College’s close links with key figures within the Sports Turf industry. Sports Turf students have the opportunity to study the maintenance of equipment and machines, surveying and facilities design, turf production and maintenance, principles of plant and soil science, health and safety, and self management.
David started work at Woking Golf Club many years ago as a junior, after passing his NVQs Level 2 and 3 he obtained work experience at golf clubs both in France and Australia and worked his way up the ranks to Deputy Head Greenkeeper.
“Without the support from Woking GC and Ransomes Jacobsen, I would
have really struggled to obtain my HNC,” said David. “The Club were
great and paid for me to have two hours off work each week to complete
my course. The last time I had done any kind of studying was back in
1996, so finding time to study, learn a new computer system and raise
a family was hard work.”
David heard about the Ransomes Jacobsen Scholarship Scheme througha friend at his golf club. He wrote to David Withers, Managing Director of Ransomes Jacobsen, and was sent the necessary forms to fill in. David also applied for a grant from Ransomes, which he used to buy a computer to use at home. “Without the extra funding from Ransomes Jacobsen that enabled me to buy a computer, I would have struggled to
have been able to juggle my assignments around work and family life,” said a delighted David who has three daughters.
Keith Harrison was David’s Tutor at Merrist Wood and David found him to be a great help and very supportive. “The support and help given to greenkeepers is great, it enables us to further our education and career at the same time,” David continued.
Not only did David complete his HNC, but he was also able to obtain an NPTC Certificate in Turf Irrigation Systems at the same time, due to the variety of modules he studied at Merrist Wood.
Ransomes Jacobsen fund Sports Surface and Sports Turf courses at Merrist Wood, Askham Bryan, Cranfield, Writtle, Elmwood and Myerscough College. Students Phillip Cooper, Shaun Pritchard and Lee Bishop also graduated this year, thanks to the Ransomes Jacobsen Scholarship Scheme.
Lee Bishop, who gained a HNC in Sports Turf Management and is Course Manager at Burnham Beeches Golf Club, said, “I took this qualification at Merrist Wood College. The HNC helped me gain a Course Managers position and for this I would like to thank Ramsomes Jacobsen for giving me the chance and sponsoring my course.”
Students received their relevant awards for their hard work and study in late summer, thanks to this BIGGA scheme, greatly supported by the manufacturing giant.
BIGGA has been able to help its members follow courses of higher education by offering them a scholarship since 2002. Many greenkeepers have been able to attend N/SVQ Level 4, Higher National Certificate, Foundation Degree/HND, BSc Turf Management and MSc Sports Surface Technology courses thanks to continued sponsorship of the Scholarship Scheme by Ransomes Jacobsen.
The amount of the scholarship awarded depends on the course and the funding available. The applications are assessed on the candidate’s number of years as a BIGGA member, their contribution to BIGGA and their previous training and development.
