BIGGA Kickstart Programme: Now Taking Applications

The golf industry has never lacked passion, dedication or opportunity, but attracting new people into greenkeeping remains one of the profession’s biggest long-term challenges. That is why we have launched the BIGGA Kickstart Programme – a new, Lantra-approved provision designed to provide a clear, accessible entry point into the industry for those taking their first steps towards a career in turf management.

The programme has been developed to help individuals build confidence, understanding and employability before progressing into formal training and/or employment. Importantly, it is intended to complement existing apprenticeships and our formal education pathway.

Kickstart has been created with flexibility in mind. It recognises that the route into greenkeeping is not always straightforward and that many prospective candidates may have little or no prior experience of the greenkeeping industry. By focusing on practical introduction, employability skills and industry awareness, the programme aims to remove some of the barriers that can prevent talented people from considering greenkeeping as a viable and rewarding profession, and to empower those seeking formal accreditation of their current knowledge and skills.

For clubs, the initiative also provides an opportunity to engage with local communities and develop future workforce pipelines in a more structured and supportive way. Across the industry there is growing recognition that recruitment cannot simply rely on waiting for applicants to appear. Instead, the profession must actively demonstrate the opportunities available within modern greenkeeping and golf course management. Kickstart forms part of BIGGA’s wider commitment to workforce development and reflects ongoing collaboration with golf clubs and industry stakeholders. It also supports the association’s long-term ambition of strengthening career pathways at every level of the profession.

Education Director Rob Phillips said Kickstart had been shaped around both sides of the recruitment challenge, giving new entrants a supported first experience of greenkeeping while helping clubs take a more active role in developing future talent.

“The Kickstart Programme is about creating opportunities and opening doors,” he said. “We know there are people who would thrive in our industry if they were given the right introduction and support. This programme provides that first step, while also helping clubs engage with the next generation of greenkeepers in a meaningful and practical way.”

Our Education team are now taking applications, with the programme set to become another important addition to the industry’s growing education and development pathway.