Top grade for country's first greenkeeping apprentice

9 October 2018 Announcement
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Tom Sherreard at The London Club

 

The GTC is proud to announce that Thomas Sherreard from The London Club and Hadlow College has become the first Golf Greenkeeping Apprentice to achieve the new City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Golf Greenkeeping associated with the new apprenticeship standard.

 

And he did it in style, receiving an overall mark of Distinction in reward for all his hard work.

 

Tom said:  "It's a great honour and to have achieved this after so much hard work feels really great. Myself and my partner, Claire, are due to welcome twins into our family soon so completing the apprenticeship at the first time of asking was certainly a priority!"

 

Not only is Tom the first golf greenkeeper to achieve his apprenticeship, he is the first land-based apprentice to undertake the new style End-point Assessment.

 

After considerable work carried out by the Greenkeepers Training Committee and the dedicated support and direction from their Employer Group and Technical Working Group, the new-style apprenticeship was launched in September 2016.  

 

The new Apprenticeship hones in on the knowledge, skills and behaviours of every apprentice and is quite different to the former work-based diploma. The Training Providers focus more on the learner journey – teaching the apprentice the skills and knowledge required to be a fully-qualified golf greenkeeper with the support of the apprentice’s employer.

 

The biggest change is that the learner, although continually taught and assessed throughout their programme of education, is now faced with a series of graded End-point Assessments.

 

David Croxton, GTC Trailblazer Chairman said: “It is through the hard work and dedication from the Employer and Technical Working Groups and City & Guilds, that we have a great qualification to offer greenkeepers of all ages.  

 

“Credit has to go to a number of people, not least, Tom for the hard work and commitment he has put into his apprenticeship; his employer, the London Golf Club and mentors, Lee Sayers and Darren Cuddihy and his course tutor, Anthony Stockwell from Hadlow College. 

 

“It is wonderful to see the tireless work that has gone on behind the scenes over the past few years has finally come to fruition. Congratulations to Tom for such a fantastic achievement and we wish you all the best for your future career.”

 

Dr Robin Jackson, Industry Manager (Land-based), City & Guilds said: “City & Guilds is delighted to have undertaken the first end-point assessment for the Golf Greenkeeper apprenticeship standard. Although an achievement in itself, this is also the very first end-point assessment within the Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care route, so we are especially proud. 

 

“City & Guilds supported the greenkeeper employer group which developed the standard and have subsequently worked closely with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC) to develop what we believe is a high-quality independent end-point assessment. This is now offered through our team of well-respected Assessors who are standardised to ensure all apprentices have access to fair and impartial assessment to demonstrate their competency. 

 

“City & Guilds are thankful of all the support and guidance we have received from the golf greenkeeping industry and look forward to maintaining our close working relationship in the future. Ultimately, we believe that with industry backing for the standard and City & Guilds end-point assessment, employers and apprentices will continue to have confidence in greenkeeping as a rewarding professional career.”

Author

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Karl Hansell
BIGGA | Head of Marketing and Communications

Karl has been head of communications for BIGGA since March 2016. His duties include editing the monthly Greenkeeper International magazine, in addition to other communications activities for the association.

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