Apprentice Groundsperson

Step onto the pitch at Allianz Stadium as an Apprentice Groundsperson and learn from an elite Grounds team, maintaining one of rugby’s most famous playing surfaces. This two-year apprenticeship offers hands‑on turf management and event experience, plus online study for a Level 2 Sports Turf Operative certificate with manager support.

Wage

£23,000 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

This includes an event day supplement to cover any hours worked on event days

Training course: Sports turf operative (level 2)

Hours: This is a fulltime role, covering 35hrs per week (Monday- Friday, with a one-hour unpaid lunch break per day) with some weekend work expected to support events.

35 hours a week

Duration: 2 years

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands‑on experience.

What you’ll do at work

• Help prepare and maintain the Allianz Stadium pitch to elite standards for international rugby, Premiership fixtures and other major events
• Work alongside the Grounds team and pitch contractors to support matchday and event preparations, including pitch reinstatement and site logistics
• Learn to safely operate specialist grounds machinery, including mowers, tractors, buggies, line markers and fertiliser spreaders
• Support wider stadium grounds maintenance, including artificial surrounds, green areas, trees, hedges, car parks and other site areas
• Complete apprenticeship learning activities, including keeping a training log and working towards a Level 2 Sports Turf Operative certificate

Where you’ll work

200 Whitton Road

TW2 7BA

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MYERSCOUGH COLLEGE

Training course

Sports turf operative (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you’ll learn

• Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
• Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
• Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
• Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
• Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
• Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
• Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
• Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
• Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
• Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
• Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
• Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
• Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
• Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.
• Apply the correct rates and range of materials to sports turf surfaces (e.g. grass seed, granular fertilisers, bulky top-dressing, turf and root zone).
• Set and mark out the sports turf surface in accordance with the relevant governing body rules (including line marking, the 3-4-5 squaring technique, and marking arcs and semi-circles).
• Prepare machinery and equipment to ensure their safe and effective use when carrying out sport turf tasks.
• Maintain levels of soil moisture using either irrigation or drainage systems.
• Inspect the condition of sports turf, make observations and communicate findings (e.g. PQS, weeds, pests, diseases, thatch content).
• Prepare the ground and established grass areas as part of sports turf renovation tasks (e.g. overseeding, turfing).
• Carry out cylinder mowing of sports turf surface(s) in accordance with set requirements.
• Carry out repair of sports turf surfaces using relevant equipment and machinery (e.g. divot repair, foot hole repair, animal damage).
• Prepare and safely operate a tractor and it's attachments.
• Select and use relevant communication styles (e.g. verbal, written, digital) to convey information to different audiences (e.g. clients, staff, suppliers).
• Adopts a systematic approach to troubleshooting and solving day-to-day resource or equipment issues.
• Identify a range of turf grasses (vegetative and seed). (Including, perennial ryegrass smooth stalk meadow grass, annual meadow grass, fescue grass (fine), bent grass).
• Carry out maintenance of sports turf surface using relevant equipment and machinery (including scarification, and aeration).
• Dispose of waste in a safe and sustainable manner.

Apprentices will achieve the Level 2 Sports Turf Operative Apprenticeship qualification and will then be eligible to join the IOG Register of Turf Management Professionals.

Delivery is work‑based using blended learning technologies on the employer’s premises. There is an expectation that 20% of the working week will be off the job training, which is a legal requirement.