About the course
The qualification is made up of a number of mandatory units designed to have maximum relevance to the job & integrate with day to day responsibilities.
An employer must allow an apprentice 20% of their working week to undertake work required to complete their apprenticeship (this is a legal requirement) & will include any college attendance required.
Entry requirements & additional information
A potential Level 2 apprentice:
Must be aged 16 or over & have officially left school.
Must be employed (NOT self-employed) in the relevant occupational sector, working a minimum of 30 hours per week.
An individual can only undertake an apprenticeship at the same or lower level than a qualification they already hold, if this allows the individual to acquire substantive new skills and the content of the training is materially different from any prior training or a previous apprenticeship.
Must have the right to work in England & spend at least 50% of their working hours in England over the duration of the apprenticeship.
Must be a citizen of a country with in the European Economic Area (EEA) or have the right of abode in the UK AND have been ordinarily resident in the EEA for at least the previous 3 years on the first day of learning.
All Apprenticeships require Initial assessment, vocational skills scan, an interview and employment in the industry.
*Typically, an applicant will have attained a minimum of 4 GCSEs at Grade E/2 or above including maths & English or a vocational qualification Level 1 plus GCSE grade E/2 or above in both maths & English. N.B. English & maths Functional Skills Level 1 will be accepted as an alternative to GCSE�s.
All potential apprentices will be asked to complete an online functional skills assessment regardless of previous qualifications*.
Apprentices who begin their apprenticeship training when aged 19+ will no longer be subject to the mandatory requirement to study towards and achieve English and Maths.�However English and Maths will still be delivered as an embedded part of the apprenticeship.
For apprentices aged 19+, the apprentice or their employer can still choose for the apprentice to study towards and achieve English and Maths qualification.�
'The college advises learners to keep studying English and maths to enhance their career prospects and facilitate progression to higher-level qualifications'.
The government will continue to fund those apprentices that wish to study towards an English and maths qualification.
Exceptional entries will be considered for all Apprenticeships at the discretion of the college based on experience, successful interview and outcomes of Initial and Diagnostic assessments for English and Maths to establish current levels of ability.
The programme length is approximately 24 months.
You will work through a series of modules aligned to the skills, knowledge and behaviours contained within the apprenticeship standard. Once you are fully competant in all required tasks and duties you will enter the gateway and are ready for assessment.
There will be an end point assessment, conducted by an independent assessor.
All components must be passed for the apprentice to meet the apprenticeship standard & these will include:
Knowledge test
Personal statement & portfolio of evidence
Course walk & practical end assessment
There will be 3 levels of achievement: Pass, Merit and Distinction.
In the unlikely event of an apprentice needing to resit an End Point Assessment (or elements of the End Point Assessment), then the employer will be responsible for funding these additional costs.
This standard is recognised by the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), the Professional Body for Greenkeepers. At the start of the apprenticeship the apprentice will be registered with BIGGA. Upon completion of this standard the apprentice will be eligible to join BIGGA as a full member and become a BIGGA Accredited Greenkeeper.
Apprentices successfully completing the Level 2 Apprenticeship have opportunities to progress within the industry by continuing onto the Level 3 Advanced Sportsturf Technician Apprenticeship or other Further Education courses.
Typical jobs apprentices will be able to progress onto on completion of this Apprenticeship will depend on the qualifications and experience gained, but could include: more senior positions within a golf club facility or the option to progress by working in other sports facilities such as a Grounds Maintenance Operator/Technician.
All apprentices are required to have suitable employment in order to complete the programme. A contract of employment must be in place and apprentices must be paid in line with minimum wage rules.
Programme costs are covered by employers through their digital apprenticeship service account.