Delegates confirmed for Jacobsen/BIGGA initiative

The successful applicants for the inaugural Jacobsen Future Turf Managers' Initiative have been announced by BIGGA.

Twenty greenkeepers from across the UK are now looking forward to an intensive two days of seminars and workshops covering a range of subjects designed to equip them for success in their future careers. These include in-depth courses on communications, budgeting, organizational politics, CV writing and interview techniques plus breakout sessions looking at other key subjects.

BIGGA and Jacobsen faced a tough decision selecting 20 names from all the candidates who completed an application form designed to find out more about them and their aspirations.

They are now preparing to head to Jacobsen's Ipswich headquarters for two days in April for the sessions which complement BIGGA's Assistants Development Programme that Jacobsen kindly agrees to sponsor.

One of the successful candidates was James Bledge, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Kent. He said: "I was delighted when I found out I'd got a place. I always try and further my education as much as possible, whether that be at BTME or at other BIGGA events, and these sessions cover exactly the sort of areas I'm looking to increase my knowledge in.

"I've got a plan to hopefully make the next step in my career in two or three years, and modules such as budgeting and CV writing will really help me so I'm looking forward to it."

Lorna Sheldon and David Bancroft-Turner - who gave hugely successful presentations at the Turf Managers' Conference at BTME - will be again passing on their extensive knowledge of professional communication techniques and dealing with golf club politics respectively. Delegates will also be given budget guidance by Lee Strutt MG - Course Manager at gWest - plus advice on further educational opportunities within BIGGA.

BIGGA's Learning & Development Executive (Technical) Stuart Green added: "There has been an excellent response to the initiative, with 45 applications received. This made the process of selection all the more difficult as we felt that all the applicants would have benefited. However, this is not the end of the journey for the successful applicants but the beginning of the next phase in their future turf manager careers." Many thanks to all who applied. For a list of the successful candidates please visit www.bigga.org.uk