Advanced sports turf technician apprenticeship, level 3 · Register title: Advanced sports turf technician (ST1323)
Grow a turf technician who spots what your surfaces need
The Growth and Skills Levy covers the training and assessment, and we handle the enrolment and the paperwork. Your apprentice learns on your own surfaces, with a tutor who comes to you, building the turf science, soil and water management, and project skills to keep pitches or courses performing all year. They might be your experienced groundsperson or greenkeeper, ready to take on more.
BIGGA recognised training provider
What they'll be able to do
Three milestones, ending ready for assessment
Lead safe practice on site, and understand turfgrass species, growth, mowing and aeration at an advanced level.
Manage soil nutrition, irrigation and water conservation, and plan integrated control of pests, weeds and disease.
Plan facility projects, budgets and equipment maintenance, lead others on site, and be ready for end point assessment.
Their learning journey
Six themes, built around your work
Foundations
The technician's role, and health and safety.
Advanced turfgrass science
Species, growth, mowing and aeration.
Soil and water
Soil nutrition, irrigation and conserving water.
Integrated pest and disease management
Controlling pests, weeds and disease with the right method at the right time.
Facility and project management
Planning, budgeting and equipment maintenance.
Professional growth and assessment preparation
Leadership, mock assessments and review.
Written test, project and professional discussion
A two-hour written test, a project report of up to 3,000 words with a presentation and questions, and a two-hour professional discussion with a facility walk. Graded fail, pass, merit or distinction.
Every programme works the same way. They learn it, use it in your organisation, then look back at what they did and why.
Know it
Advanced turf science, soils, water, and integrated pest and disease control.
Show it
Surfaces diagnosed and improved, renovations planned, and a project delivered on your ground.
Live it
Judgement, ownership, and leading others on site.
Who you could put forward
Someone already with you, or someone new
Your experienced groundsperson or greenkeeper
Years of practice and ready for the science behind it. Harry Reid had been a groundsperson for 12 years when he started.
A level 2 greenkeeper or sports turf operative ready to step up
Ruben was level 2 qualified when he moved on to this.
The person you want as your deputy
Someone who can make the call on the surface when you're not there.
A technician on a multi-sport site
The standard covers football, cricket, rugby, golf and more.
You're trusting us with someone from your team. Here's how we look after them.
One tutor from start to finish, who comes to your site and gets to know your ground and your team.
A one-to-one review every month, and a three-way review with you at the end of every stage. Nobody is guessing where they are or what's next.
Learning built around your season. Off-the-job time is agreed with you in hours per week before they start, and much of it happens on your own ground. No day or block release.
What your organisation gets
Problems caught early and a deputy to rely on
Problems caught before they show
A technician who reads the surface and acts early, rather than waiting for it to fail.
Renovation planned, not rushed
Projects and budgets planned around your fixtures and your season.
A deputy you can rely on
Someone who can lead the team on the ground when you're not there.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy you already pay, up to the funding band for this standard. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over.
We check eligibility before you commit to anything. We complete the enrolment, the funding agreement, and the records the rules require, in the format auditors expect.
You get one named account manager, from your first conversation to your last review. If something isn't working, you go to them, and we take it seriously.
Where it leads
The next step, when they're ready
Golf course manager, level 5 ›For golf technicians heading towards leading the course.
The honest answers
Questions people actually ask
At least 418 hours of off-the-job training across the programme. We convert that into hours per week for your season and agree it in writing before anyone starts.
Yes. It's the standard for advanced turf technicians across sports, including golf.
Not always. Experience counts, and we check what they already know at the start.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy, up to £8,000. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over. We'll confirm exactly what applies before you commit.
If they move to a new employer, they can carry on their apprenticeship there. Your funding commitment from the Growth and Skills Levy ends when they leave.
Let's begin
Tell us who you'd like to back.
We'll reply within one working day. You'll know whether this programme fits them, what it costs you, and how quickly they could start. No commitment. And if we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
Together, let's go