TasTAFE Certificate III in Sports Turf Management graduates are ready to play ball – at home, interstate and overseas

Barnbougle golf course at Bridport is a spectacular classroom for TasTAFE Certificate III in Sports Turf Management learners. Image courtesy of Barnbougle Tasmania.

TasTAFE’s Certificate III in Sports Turf Management course is upskilling learners in the craft of maintaining fine sports turf, meeting growing industry demand in Tasmania and beyond.

The 4-year sports turf program runs at TasTAFE’s Alanvale Campus in Launceston and Clarence Campus in Hobart, overseen by teachers Scott Reid and Brad Palmer respectively – with apprentices working at golf courses and sports grounds around the state.

Dawn Holland, TasTAFE Horticulture Education Manager, said that the Tasmanian sports turf industry is in peak playing condition.

“We've seen a lot of growth in the sports turf industry over the past few years – we’re riding an upward trajectory in Tasmania,” Dawn said – driven by the explosion of high-end golf course developments around the state, growth in tourism, the success of UTAS Stadium in Launceston, and the prospect of a new stadium on Hobart’s waterfront.

“Sports turf apprentices are hard to find,” Scott Reid added, “– and with all these new golf courses being built, we've got to try and keep up. I’ve got 3 or 4 golf courses ringing me and asking if I know of anyone who wants a job!

“We’ve got learners at Barnbougle in Bridport, at 7 Mile Beach and Ninja Stadium in Hobart, at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston… We've got racetracks, we've got local council parks and ovals… Basically anything that's played on grass, you name it, we're there!”

Scott and Brad maintain a close relationship with industry contacts around the state. Scott is also Secretary of the Tasmanian Sports Turf Managers Association (TSTMA), so his industry knowledge is up-to-the-minute.

Beyond Tasmania, TasTAFE sports turf graduates are also in demand.

“We send learners over toLIV Golf in Adelaide and the Australian Open golf every year, whether they're apprentices or just qualified. They volunteer at those tournaments as well. One of our graduates is now the Superintendent at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney, which would be one of the top 3 or 4 courses in the country – so that’s a great outcome.” Scott said.

“Our graduates are generally well regarded because we have smaller teams in Tasmania. If you're working on a big golf course, you might just sit on a mower for 3 years, or you might just rake bunkers. But our learners get to do everything and learn everything – they get the full experience.”

TasTAFE sports turf graduates have also taken up opportunities overseas with American golf-course equipment supplier Toro; secured internships at various US universities; and worked on major events including TPC Sawgrass in Florida, home of the Players Championship, one of the world’s most prestigious pro golfing events.

Closer to home, TasTAFE Certificate III in Sports Turf Management graduate Kelsey Lovell completed her apprenticeship on the lush lawns of Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), after starting out at Blundstone Arena (now Ninja Stadium) on Hobart’s eastern shore.

In the final year of her apprenticeship, Kelsey won the Sportsfields and Grounds Graduate of the Year award at the National Turf Industry Awards, hosted by peak industry body the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA).

For Kelsey, a former paramedic who decided to change careers in her mid-20s, this national accolade was a fitting reward for her hard work.

“It’s always nice to be recognised for doing good things,” she said, “– and something that potential employers will look for.”

The award also reinforced the high standard of teaching in TasTAFE’s Certificate III in Sports Turf Management – and confirms Dawn Holland’s assessment of the robust health of the local industry.

Kelsey agreed that TasTAFE teaching is closely aligned with the latest industry issues, skills and knowledge, and that her training delivered the hands-on experience she needed to meet international standards.

Ninja Stadium “has to be a world-class surface,” she said. “– they're playing international cricket matches on there. So I was I was pretty lucky to be getting paid whilst learning in that kind of world-class environment. It was excellent,” Kelsey said.

Once the new Hobart stadium is up and running, Scott Reid is optimistic about work prospects there for TasTAFE learners.

“Growing grass under a stadium roof has its challenges,” he said. “So they'll probably have 6 to 8 ground staff, UV lights they’ll have to use, and a spare pitch somewhere that they can cut up and wheel in. And if they need a turf farm, that's a whole extra crew of people…”

Interested in a career in the sports turf industry? You’ll need to start working before you can begin the Certificate III in Sports Turf Management at TasTAFE.

Scott Reid’s advice is to ask directly at golf clubs, bowls clubs, etc; follow the ASTMA and TSTMA Facebook pages; check out the ‘Employment’ section on the ASTMA website; or register with employment agencies, who typically recruit casual staff for council work.

TasTAFE Certificate III in Sports Turf Management learners in action at golf courses and sports venues around the state.