Groundskeeper

Groundskeepers prepare and maintain sports surfaces. They ensure level surfaces, sow and turf grass, apply pesticides and fertilisers, water pitches and mark them out. Other tasks include looking after hedges, netting, and seating areas. They use and maintain equipment such as rotavators, sit-on mowers and fertiliser sprayers, as well as hand tools.

Also known as:

• Greenkeeper

Work activities

Groundskeepers prepare and maintain natural and synthetic sports surfaces. Their aim is to bring about the best possible playing conditions for the sport. For example, they could be working on bowling greens, football pitches, tennis courts, athletics tracks or racecourses. To prepare a new surface, groundskeepers might follow a drawing or written plan. They have to ensure that the ground is level. Then, they might sow seed or lay turf, and then mark out the pitch. Groundskeepers also keep the surface in the best possible condition. They do this through regular cutting, trimming, mowing, irrigation, and applying pesticides and fertilisers. They clean and repair artificial playing surfaces and might also repair concrete and tarmac surfaces.

Other tasks include tidying up and clearing litter. They look after and repair hedges, netting, and seating areas. Groundskeepers use hand tools such as spades and forks, as well as equipment like powered hedge cutters and strimmers, manual and motorised mowers and sprayers. They also clean and maintain the equipment, including doing some repair work. They sometimes need to wear protective clothing such as masks, gloves and goggles. They work outside in all types of weather.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a groundskeeper, you’ll need:

• Practical skills to use equipment like strimmers, mowers, sprayers and hand tools.
• To develop a sound technical knowledge of sports turf and materials, for example, how to ensure good drainage.
• Physical fitness, to do things like lifting and carrying.
• Willingness to work outside in all types of weather.
• Good observation skills to notice problems as soon as possible.
• Number skills, for example, to measure and mark out pitches, and to work out quantities of things like seeds and pesticides.
• Good team skills, as well as the ability to work without much supervision.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Groundskeepers earn in the range of £13,500 - £30,500 per year, depending on experience.

Groundskeepers usually work a 39-41-hour week. However, working hours might include early starts, late finishes and weekend work.

Employers are local authorities, grounds maintenance contractors and private sports clubs. Opportunities for groundskeepers occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the website of the Grounds Management Association, in local newspapers and horticultural magazines, on the Government’s Find a Job service, and on job boards.

Entry routes and training

It’s possible to enter this career without qualifications as an unskilled groundskeeper. Alternatively, you could do a level 2 (intermediate) apprenticeship, with relevant programmes including:

• Golf greenkeeper
• Sports turf operative

You would then get training on-the-job, with day- or block-release to college to study for a relevant qualification.

It is also possible to enter this career after completing a relevant college course. These include Edexcel (BTEC) level 2 Firsts and level 3 Nationals in horticulture. A number of foundation degrees in horticulture are available. There are also degree courses in general horticulture.

With the right level of skills and knowledge, training and qualifications, you can enter, or work your way up to, positions such as skilled groundskeeper, deputy head/head groundskeeper and grounds manager.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Some posts, for example, that involve working on school playing fields, are exceptions to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

It’s possible to enter as an unskilled groundskeeper without qualifications, although some GCSEs, especially in science subjects, or another relevant qualification, would be an advantage.

If you wish to enter this career through an Apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Entry requirements for college courses vary depending on the college and the level of the course. You should contact colleges to find out more. Course providers will look to see that you have the potential to complete the course successfully.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have gained relevant skills and knowledge during practical work experience, for example, in agriculture or gardening.

Colleges will usually consider applications from adults who don’t meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges. You can search for relevant courses on the website of Lantra, the sector skills council for the land-based and environmental sector.

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