This apprenticeship is in development and is subject to change
Why is this apprenticeship not ready for delivery?
An apprenticeship is only available for delivery when both the standard and assessment plan is approved and a funding band (core government contribution) has been assigned to the standard.
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Key information
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Status: Standard in development
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Proposal approved
Occupational standard approved
End-point assessment plan approved
Funding approved
- Reference: ST1410
- Level: 5
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Typical duration to gateway:
36 months - Typical EPA period: 3 months
- Route: Agriculture, environmental and animal care
- Integration: Mandatory qualification
- Review: this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.
Contents
Contents
Details of the occupational standard
Occupation summary
This occupation is found in professional facilities or venues of a particular sport or an estate of sports turf surfaces such as an independent school, university or professional sporting facility that may be in multiple locations across regions, nationally or potentially internationally. This could include facilities, venues or estates of athletics, bowls, croquet, cricket, equine, football, golf, lacrosse, rugby, tennis or other similar playing surfaces.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to implement and monitor natural and artificial sports turf playing surface performance and construction. They have advanced technical skills to plan and prepare procedures to develop sports turf construction projects, maintain sports turf, renovate sports turf and lead others to attain high performing sports turf. They have analytical and technical skills to assess suitability and performance of resources, including contractors, for the construction, maintenance, and renovation of sports turf surfaces. They are typically the lead decision-makers for requesting and rationalising capital and operational expenditure related to sports turf maintenance and construction.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with employees working on the site, site owners, contractors and departmental heads in order to ensure the playing surfaces suit those planning to use them.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for leading on the management of sports turf operations, including the personnel, and may provide consultancy, leading and advising other managers on sports turf matters. They may have some supervisory responsibilities and will be required to oversee health and safety of the sports turf area.
Typical job titles include:
Entry requirements
Each employer will set their own entry requirements to the apprenticeship. Employers will typically expect someone applying for the apprenticeship to have experience working the sector, hold level 3 qualifications or 2 A levels in a related subject.
Occupation duties
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Interpret the characteristics of the soil environment and how these impact on turfgrass plant growth and playing surface performance. |
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Duty 2 Critically appraise playing surface performance using a range of testing procedures and equipment. |
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Duty 3 Evaluate machinery and energy sources to appraise the optimum utilisation of power and equipment. |
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Duty 4 Provide technical advice and project manage the design concepts of sports turf constructions, including natural, hybrid, artificial, irrigation and drainage systems. |
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Duty 5 Manage small and large-scale on-site projects from design, tender and delivery working to agreed specification of works. |
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Duty 6 Manage sports turf sustainably by understanding how turfgrasses interact with their environment and how turfgrass physiology is influenced by changes in environmental conditions, such as those associated with climate change. |
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Duty 7 Manage employees and contractors, including workforce planning, quality, health and safety, skills, motivation, recruitment, retention, and training. |
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Duty 8 Interpret results of scientific investigations and literature. |
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Duty 9 Be responsible for budgeting, setting priorities, forecasting, driving efficiencies, procurement, Profit and Loss reporting and sourcing funding where applicable. |
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Duty 10 Interpret and present information in a relevant and professional style. |
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Duty 11 Undertake personal and professional development, maintaining awareness of industry developments and assessing how these will impact their organisation. |
KSBs
Knowledge
K1: Information sources and methods used to research and evaluate scientific, technical developments and innovations likely to impact the turfgrass industry.
Back to Duty
K2: Agronomic principles, plant, turfgrass and soil science relevant to sport turf technical managers.
Back to Duty
K3: Sports turf science and its impact on the planning, construction, establishment and maintenance of a sports turf area.
Back to Duty
K4: Methods used to conduct scientific sports turf laboratory and field investigations, collect data and analyse results.
Back to Duty
K5: Problems associated with sports turf areas and how to collect data for subsequent evaluation.
Back to Duty
K6: Specialist sports turf machinery, equipment and technology and how it can be applied in a sustainable manner.
Back to Duty
K7: Methods used to identify credible sports turf management information sources and how investigative study and problem solving techniques can be used when developing practical solutions.
Back to Duty
K8: Methods used to evaluate and plan own personal development.
Back to Duty
K9: Plant biochemistry and physiology, how they relate to how plants survive in different environments and the processes by which plants pass on their genetic information from one generation to the next.
Back to Duty
K10: The major UK soil groups and the factors which determine soil formation and development.
Back to Duty
K11: The biotic and abiotic components and processes of the soil and their influence on plant growth, development and soil management.
Back to Duty
K12: The principles of establishing natural grass surfaces for sport.
Back to Duty
K13: Methods used to prepare maintenance schedules and the effects of maintenance operations and practices on the grass plant and turfgrass sward.
Back to Duty
K14: Plant morphology and physiological processes within the grass plant and the effects of environmental influences on the growth and development of turfgrass.
Back to Duty
K15: Experimental design, benchmarking and the application of statistical tests when testing a hypothesis in relation to sports turf quality, and performance.
Back to Duty
K16: Common pest, disease and weed species in turfgrass surfaces and their impact on turfgrass quality and playability.
Back to Duty
K17: The principles of ecology relating to sports turf facilities in the United Kingdom.
Back to Duty
K18: Approaches to improving sustainability, natural habitats and biodiversity for a sports facility.
Back to Duty
K19: Methods used to manage sports turf resources.
Back to Duty
K20: Methods used to analyse and evaluate materials used in the drainage and construction of sport surfaces and methods used for specific sports surface construction in the UK.
Back to Duty
K21: How mathematical formulae can be used to solve sports turf construction and drainage system problems.
Back to Duty
K22: The processes involved in the assimilation of light energy, water and nutrients into a plant and how plants modify these to deal with stressful environmental conditions.
Back to Duty
K23: The control of plant growth and development by environmental signals.
Back to Duty
K24: Structure and content requirements when developing scientific style written reports and presenting recommendations.
Back to Duty
K25: How to evaluate drainage designs and concepts.
Back to Duty
K26: How to align workforce needs with organisational goals, including recruitment, retention, and skills development.
Back to Duty
K27: Health and safety standards to ensure a safe working environment for all employees and contractors.
Back to Duty
K28: How to motivate staff and provide ongoing support to enhance their performance and job satisfaction.
Back to Duty
K29: How to prepare and interpret profit and loss statements, budget management, allocating resources efficiently and setting spending priorities.
Back to Duty
K30: Techniques for effectively sourcing, negotiating, and managing supplier relationships.
Back to Duty
Skills
S1: Apply agronomic principles of plant, turfgrass and soil science in the context of sports turf management.
Back to Duty
S2: Evaluate and apply scientific and technical developments to sports turf industry practices.
Back to Duty
S3: Record and evaluate sports turf scientific test results for use in planning, construction, establishment or maintenance of sports turf.
Back to Duty
S4: Conduct laboratory and field investigations relating to developments in sports turf science to improve current sports turf practices.
Back to Duty
S5: Analyse problems associated with sports turf areas and formulate appropriate solutions.
Back to Duty
S6: Apply specialist sports turf technology and equipment.
Back to Duty
S7: Investigate, analyse and evaluate sports turf management information and recommend practical options and solutions to resolve problems.
Back to Duty
S8: Prepare written reports and present sports turf management recommendations and findings.
Back to Duty
S9: Work independently and as a member of a team.
Back to Duty
S10: Review, evaluate and plan own personal development.
Back to Duty
S11: Identify appropriate machinery and equipment for turf maintenance practices.
Back to Duty
S12: Prepare maintenance plans for identified sports turf grass surfaces.
Back to Duty
S13: Review the quality of sports turf surfaces and evaluate results from a range of equipment.
Back to Duty
S14: Review the breeding and development of new grass cultivars.
Back to Duty
S15: Review the use of benchmarking and surface testing for sports turf management.
Back to Duty
S16: Carry out performance testing of a sports surface and apply problem solving and data analysis to performance testing.
Back to Duty
S17: Recommend improvements to sports turf management based on objective testing data.
Back to Duty
S18: Produce a testable hypothesis or specific research questions for sports turf management.
Back to Duty
S19: Design an experiment that will effectively test a hypothesis or answer sports turf management research questions.
Back to Duty
S20: Select appropriate statistical tests, analyse data using appropriate software, interpret the results and draw conclusions.
Back to Duty
S21: Propose and develop creative solutions for sports turf management research projects and evaluate project outcomes.
Back to Duty
S22: Review and apply the concepts of a sustainable Integrated Pest Management approach to turfgrass areas, diagnose common pest, disease and weed species in turfgrass surfaces and evaluate the efficacy of available control options.
Back to Duty
S23: Appraise a range of habitats relating to a particular site in order to establish specific conservation objectives.
Back to Duty
S24: Evaluate selected sports turf resource management approaches taking into account sustainability.
Back to Duty
S25: Apply mathematical formulae to evaluate construction problems and perform calculations.
Back to Duty
S26: Manage employees, contractors and supplier relationships.
Back to Duty
S27: Create and manage budgets, allocating resources efficiently, and setting spending priorities.
Back to Duty
S28: Interpret profit and loss statements to monitor financial performance and make informed decisions.
Back to Duty
Behaviours
B1: Embraces technological advancements within the sector.
Back to Duty
B2: Committed to tailoring communication style to suit the audience.
Back to Duty
B3: Acts in a way that builds and maintains positive relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers.
Back to Duty
B4: Actively seeks innovative solutions to resolve problems and demonstrates a commitment to making objective decisions.
Back to Duty
B5: Committed to keeping up with industry developments, technology and best practice.
Back to Duty
B6: Actively promotes sustainable initiatives.
Back to Duty
B7: Supports an inclusive workplace.
Back to Duty
Qualifications
English and Maths
English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
Other mandatory qualifications
Professional recognition
This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:
- Alignment with level 5 of the Grounds Management Framework (GMF) for Grounds Management Association (GMA) recognition
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