ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN TURF CARE

Study Turf Management - Technician Course

• Learn turf establishment and maintenance - different types of grasses, repairing damaged lawns, underground drainage and irrigation.
• Apply what you learn as a green keeper, sports turf manager, technician, consultant in turf care and repair; or start your own lawn mowing or garden maintenance business. 
• Developed by a team of horticulture experts, with turf industry experience, led by John Mason Dip Hort Sc, FCIH, FPLA, FAIH, former parks director.
• Students in this course are offered free student memberships to the Australian Institute of Horticulture, the Australian Society for Precision Agriculture and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (U.K.)

Turf is a huge industry, that is more complex and sophisticated than what most people might realise at first glance. It is underpinned by science and technology. To establish and maintain turf with productive and efficient use of resources it requires a high level of technical knowledge that is in high demand, but often poor supply.  Turf courses at this technician level are not widely available at other colleges. If you have a passion to work in the turf industry, undertaking this course will be an excellent career move.

Modules

Note that each module in the ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN TURF CARE is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.

Where our Courses have come from

John Mason (ACS Principal & Course leader) studied turf science and management initially as part of a 3 year Diploma in Horticultural Science at Burnley Horticultural Science. In the 1970's, while working as a Parks Director he was challenged on a number of occasions to further develop his knowledge and experience of turf care. On being asked to build a turf wicket he found himself visiting the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and meeting the curator Bill Watts. Bill was very generous with his time and support teaching Mr Mason how to create a turf wicket. He even donated some old equipment from the MCG to John's employer. Over time John built and maintained several turf wickets. In the years that followed, John moved to the position as parks manager at another municipality, where he was charged with maintaining the home ground of of of the national soccer league teams. He quickly learned how a ground that would be hosting televised games required a very different and highly technical level of management on a week to week basis. John's experience over the following decades has involved consulting on gold courses through to turf farms and domestic home lawns. 

Together with a large team of horticulture and turf experts, the modules of this course have been developed, improved, and continue to be routinely updated even today.

We maintain memberships and involvement with many industry bodies, always on the lookout for trends and developments across Australia & the UK where we employ horticulture staff, and beyond.

SCOPE FOR EMPLOYMENT

This is a huge course, that lays a foundation to go well beyond a tradesman level.

Our students will more often than not, find employment in the turf industry before completing this course; and sometimes before even starting.

Anywhere that you find a lawn or sports turf; will be a potential employer for a graduate of this course. This includes home gardens, golf courses, municipal parks, bowling greens, sports grounds, race courses and sporting stadia. There are lots more as well.

Larger facilities will often employ curators, superintendents or managers; and this course will greatly advance your capacity to perform jobs at that level.

Some graduates move into self employment. This may involve anything from being a lawn mowing contractor, to being a technical consultant, or operating a turf equipment or turf supply company.

HOW WILL THIS COURSE GET ME A JOB?

This is a professional qualification and well beyond most certificates that are completed through vocational training. However it is not just a qualification that will get you a job - there are more other considerations including:

• Your attitude - if you are passionate about your chosen field you are likely to show that in your day to day dealings with people in the industry, potential employers or your current employer when they are looking to promote from within.
• Your learning - learning is more than just a piece of paper, it extends well beyond that - if you have taken the right course. A course should not narrow your opportunities. Your education should be broad, so that you can take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Your qualification should (like ACS qualifications) have encouraged your problem solving skills - employers are always on the look out for people that can think for themselves, recognise a potential problem and deal with it effectively and quickly. 
• Your efficiency - being efficient isn't about being fast at doing things, it is about knowing how to approach problems and then attack them in the most logical manner to produce the best possible results. Problem solving skills enable you to develop efficiency.
• Your communication skills - being able to speak with people in a considered manner, having good written communication skills, having a good phone manner are all part of good communication; develop these skills and employers will look upon you far more favourably.
• Your ability to use technology - computers are a way of life now, we use them for communication, data collection and storage, research and even in a lot of the machinery we use in the horticulture industry - every employee needs to have reasonable computer skills to get ahead in today's tech driven world.
• Your industry knowledge - know what is going on in your industry: the latest machines, the latest approaches, the latest technology, new cultivars, new irrigation methods and so on. You can do this by belonging to an industry association, by reading industry magazines, by attending trade shows and just spending a bit of time each week on the net! Attending shows and other industry events also puts your face out in the market place --- you never know where that next great opportunity might come from.

Become a Turf Industry Professional.

Discover things about turf that you hadn't even thought about! 

Learn the science, management and horticulture that underpins modern turf management for a better job in such positions as a superintendent, curator, greens manager, sales or marketing representative, turf/horticulture technician etc.