Groundsman Apprentice

Summary

The King’s School has an exciting opportunity for an apprentice groundsman to join the team to ensure that our sports facilities are developed and maintained to the highest possible standards.

Annual wage: £12,480 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Sports turf operative (level 2)
Hours: Monday - Friday 8.00am - 4.30pm
37 hours 30 minutes a week
Possible start date: Monday 27 January
Duration: 1 year 6 months
Positions available: 1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Main Duties and Responsibilities Key responsibilities are:

Under the direction of the Head Groundsman / Team Leader

Preparing and maintaining the sports facilities, including artificial surfaces, across both the Junior School (JKS) and Senior School (Birleys) playing fields, and to maintain other sports areas as required to relevant governing body standards as directed
This will include the use of mowers, line marking equipment, tractors, ride on mowers, the use of chemicals (if qualified) fertilisers, sands, soils, seed and other materials.
Providing grounds staff support to matches/fixtures when required, including weekends and after 4.30pm on a rota basis
Be able to follow weekly, monthly, and annual agreed maintenance programmes for all facilities
The ability to work under own initiative
Liaising with appropriate staff on the availability of sports facilities for lessons and matches, and advising on the fitness of pitches
Working with various types of machinery and equipment to prepare and maintain football, rugby, cricket, other grass surfaces as well as artificial surfaces
Undertaking general maintenance of equipment as directed
Assisting the gardens team when needed with gardening duties
Ensuring the security of the grounds and sports related buildings and facilities
Attending meetings and events, as directed
Undertaking any other reasonable duties as directed by the Head Groundsman / Team Leader

Where you’ll work

THE KINGS SCHOOL

BURSARS OFFICE

25 THE PRECINCTS

CANTERBURY

CT1 2ES

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

NORTH KENT COLLEGE

Your training course

Sports turf operative (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.
Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.

Your training plan

Sports Turf Operative Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard
You will be studying Sports Turf at Hadlow College one day per month

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Patience
Physical fitness
Flexible
Enthusiastic

Other requirements

To be able to work in all weather conditions

About this company

The King's School is a public school in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group. It is Britain's oldest public school; and is arguably the oldest continuously operating school in the world, since education on the Abbey and Cathedral grounds has been uninterrupted since AD 597

https://www.kings-school.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Possibly a full time job will be offered at the end of the apprentice

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

NORTH KENT COLLEGE

Lucy Penniall

lucypenniall@northkent.ac.uk

01322629400

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000293280.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Monday 13 January at 11:59pm)

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