IOG EMBARKS ON SECOND-STAGE INDUSTRY-WIDE RESEARCH TO ADDRESS ‘GROUNDS FOR CONCERN’ OVER MANAGEMENT ATTITUDES

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has warned there is ‘skills time bomb’ facing the grounds profession after its industry-leading study revealed that the sector is largely staffed by 40- to 49-year-olds who are underpaid, under-trained and underrated.

Now, following the results of the IOG’s ‘Grounds management – a hidden profession’ research* that for the first time profiled the industry and the people within it – their entry, careers, salaries, job satisfaction levels and training – the IOG is embarking on a second-stage study designed to identify the relative standing of grounds staff within their organisations and the reasons for this perception.

Funded by the IOG 2012 Fund, the aims of the ‘Grounds for Concern’ study are to:

• Identify attitudes of senior management to grounds staff.
• Identify senior management perceptions of actual and potential skills shortages and skill gaps in groundsmanship.
• Understand the qualifications held by staff and their pay.
• Identify senior management strategies for the utilisation of grounds staff in the future.
  

According to Geoff Webb, IOG Chief Executive: “It is clear there are certain barriers to entry to the profession – such as poor perception and low pay, as well as the need for more promotion of the sector within schools and colleges. Our attention must therefore firmly focus on addressing these obstacles in order to encourage more young people into the profession – and we need to determine then understand senior management’s perception of the industry, because we must ensure there is a new generation of skilled grounds professionals coming through.”

The study – which has received input from Lantra and will be carried out by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University - will involve a large-scale online survey of organisations such as professional clubs, voluntary sector, schools, national governing bodies, local authorities and private contractors. This will be followed up with in-depth interviews with key personnel within these organisations.

A final report will be available by the end of March 2009, which will detail the findings and suggest future actions.

* Carried out in 2007/08, the IOG’s ‘Grounds management – a hidden profession’ survey valued the grounds management and maintenance sector in England at around £580 million and revealed that, for example:

Salaries are low compared to other industries;

• Forty per cent of grounds professionals had not had any training during the past 12 months – and a similar number felt they would benefit from additional training;
• Less than half of respondents suggested their employers had a “very good” understanding of the skills required by their jobs;
• The industry has approximately 20,000 full-time employees plus over 20,000 volunteers; and
• That only 0.4 per cent of workers are women.

Source: Wildish Communications Ltd
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GLAMORGAN’S LEN SMITH JOINS IOG’S NETWORK OF REGIONAL ADVISERS

After 20 years at Glamorgan County Cricket Club, Len Smith has been appointed by the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) as Regional Advisor for Wales. He will be responsible for developing training, education and membership in the area as well as forging strong links with governing bodies, colleges and local authorities.

His appointment – which is jointly funded by the IOG and ECB and is designed to give ongoing support to IOG regional members – complements the existing IOG’s Regional Adviser network that embraces Ireland and the North of England.

“Training and education is the foundation of the IOG,” comments Len, “and there’s a big market for it in Wales. I’m very excited about getting on with the role and delivering results in the area.”

After starting out as a greenkeeper at Radyr Golf Club, Len has also been responsible for grounds at Pennylan bowling and lawn tennis club, the Polytechnic of Wales (now the University of Glamorgan), Cardiff Athletic Club, Cardiff City and most recently at Glamorgan CCC.

His vast experience as a groundsman is backed up by a host of training and qualifications including the coveted IOG NDT.

Ian Lacy, Head of Professional Services at the IOG, is delighted to welcome Len to the team: “It’s rare to come across someone of Len’s experience and qualities, so we are very pleased that we can now count him as a key player in our regional network of advisors.

Len takes up his role on 2 February 2009.

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. It also stages the annual IOG SCOTSTURF and IOG SALTEX exhibition, Europe’s leading show for the open space profession. For more information visit www.iog.org

Source: Wildish Communications Ltd
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INSTITUTE OF GROUNDSMANSHIP CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2009

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2009 as the world’s largest membership organisation for grounds professionals with nearly 10,000 full and e-members.

A number of events will take place through the year including the first all-encompassing industry awards ceremony for grounds staff taking place at the Emirates Stadium on 15 October. This will be preceded by the IOG’s one-day Sports Turf Conference during the day.
Over the last two years the institute has transformed itself with the establishment of the IOG Academy – an apprenticeship through to retirement training programme to enable grounds staff to gain the professional qualifications they need throughout their career.

“Having doubled the membership over the last two years we will continue to follow the institute’s original mission to improve the status of groundsmen and the standard of groundsmanship,” says Geoff Webb, IOG Chief Executive.

“To this end we have been working with the national governing bodies of sport such as The Football Association on a soon-to-be-launched training initiative for grassroots grounds professionals, and the England and Wales Cricket Board on fine turf issues,” he added.
There is still much to do. Grounds staff are still not paid well and work in difficult conditions. The IOG therefore needs to evolve to meet the demands faced by its members in this ever-changing industry.

The IOG has been highlighting its concerns with a number of key politicians and stakeholders, pointing to the vital contribution that grounds staff make to British sport. This has led to Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe MP saying:
“Ensuring the long term maintenance of facilities is vital to the sustainability of sports provision. Grounds maintenance is a key element of this. I welcome initiatives by the IOG to raise skill levels in this area and the grounds maintenance profession as a whole.”
The IOG was founded by W H Bowles BEM, head groundsman of Eton College, and ten other founder members in 1934 at a pub by Cannon Street Station in London. Each of the founders put in £1 to set up the organisation.

Some of the IOG’s highlights include:

• The introduction in 1953 of the IOG examination system, the forerunner to today’s renowned training and education services;
• In 1990, the launch of the IOG Consultancy Service, which advises organisations worldwide on the development and management of sports and amenity facilities;
• The launch in 1938 of the IOG exhibition – now known as IOG SALTEX; and
• The launch of the 2012 Fund in 2007, which provides funding and bursaries to support industry development.
  

Geoff Webb continues: “As the industry looks towards the 2012 Olympics, the IOG will continue to enforce its ‘Challenging Perceptions’ six-year strategy dictum of ‘establishing the IOG as the leading professional organisation for grounds management, recognised by the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the public, private and voluntary sectors for its industry knowledge and technical expertise’.

“It is clear that health and the uptake of sporting activities is a major item on the Government agenda, as is the legacy that the Olympics (and other major sporting events including the Commonwealth Games in 2014) will create. As such, our activity within the political arena is focused here, to highlight the issues we face as an industry.

“This is one of a number of steps that the IOG is taking to voice concern and request action on matters that we as an industry are facing – for example, the encouragement of more young people into the sector, and to raise the pay and status of ground professionals.

“We will continue to lobby, with our partners who face similar issues, to address and raise the profile of these important issues with Government, those involved in sports governance and others in a position of influence.”

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. It also stages the annual IOG SCOTSTURF and IOG SALTEX exhibition, Europe’s leading show for the open space profession. For more information visit www.iog.org

Source: Wildish Communications Ltd
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