Tag Archive for: ‘NextGen’

GMA NextGen Launches Network For Young Professionals

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GMA NextGen Launches Network For Young Professionals: The Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) NextGen group has launched its very own NextGen Network, a free online community designed to connect and support the next generation of grounds professionals.

Hosted on WhatsApp, the NextGen Network is an extension of the GMA NextGen group, a dynamic group of young professionals whose mission is to inspire and encourage younger talent into the grounds management industry.

GMA NextGen Launches Network For Young Professionals

GMA NextGen Launches Network For Young Professionals

With around 1,500 professionals expected to retire from the industry each year, GMA NextGen is committed to ensuring a vibrant future for grounds management by attracting and engaging the next wave of professionals.

The new NextGen Network will build on their mission by offering a space where people in the industry can exchange ideas and take part in two-way conversations with peers and established figures across the industry, all at their fingertips.

Liddy Ford, GMA NextGen member and groundsperson at Wembley Stadium, said: “The NextGen Network is a great opportunity to engage with other young members of the grounds industry. Whether you’d like to share your experiences of the grounds sector, build connections with likeminded individuals, or gain some top-dressing tips, this network provides the framework for you.”

The network is open to anyone aged 18 and over and will act as a go-to hub for those looking to build connections in the sector. For safeguarding reasons, under-18s will not be able to access the WhatsApp community. However, they can still be part of the wider NextGen Network by receiving the quarterly newsletter.

Beth Gibbs, GMA NextGen member and groundsperson at Wellington School, said: “The NextGen Network is all about connecting you with fellow grounds people and keeping you up to date with any news in the industry. This network will be good for you to meet new people and keep up date to what happening in the industry.”

The NextGen Network complements other GMA NextGen initiatives, such as Schools into Stadia, which aim to showcase the diverse and rewarding career opportunities within grounds management.

Entry into the NextGen Network is completely free, with sign-up available via the NextGen newsletter here.

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NextGen Members Recognised with Pioneer Marks

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NextGen Members Recognised with Pioneer Marks: Seven members, past and present, of the GMA NextGen group have been awarded their Pioneer Marks as part of the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) ‘Pioneer Legacy’ initiative at the GMA Industry Awards.

The Pioneer Legacy is a recognition scheme dedicated to celebrating the contributions of those who have been part of GMA NextGen, acknowledging their impact on the profession.

NextGen Members Recognised with Pioneer Marks

NextGen Members Recognised with Pioneer Marks

Central to this initiative is the Pioneer Mark – a distinctive legacy number assigned to each NextGen member, reflecting their role in shaping the future of the industry.

The following individuals received their Pioneer Marks at the GMA Industry Awards:

  • Nick Phillips (#007) – Head of Grounds & Landscaping at Tottenham Hotspur
  • Liam Cash (#011) – Head Groundsman at Stockport County FC
  • Tom Grafen (#012) – UK Area Manager at SGL
  • Liddy Ford (#032) – Groundsperson at Wembley Stadium
  • Beth Gibbs (#033) – Groundsperson at Wellington School
  • Jack Langley (#034) – Deputy Head Groundsperson at Ashton Gate Stadium
  • Meg Lay (#035) – Groundsperson at Lord’s Cricket Ground

This initiative not only celebrates individual achievements but also ensures that the contributions of these young professionals are remembered and honoured for years to come.

Jennifer Carter, Director of Communications & Marketing at the GMA said: “The Pioneer Legacy is about recognising the impact of the next generation of grounds professionals. We’re incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements and what better stage to do it on than at Anfield Stadium. All you need to do is look at how far these members have come and the incredible careers they’ve built in the industry. GMA NextGen has been a great springboard for them, and the Pioneer Legacy is our way of recognising that journey.”

For more information on GMA NextGen and the Pioneer Legacy, visit thegma.org.uk/who/ambassadors.

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NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

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NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon: As part of #GroundsWeek 2025, the Grounds Management Association (GMA) NextGen group will host a Schools Into Stadia event on Thursday 20 March at the iconic All England Club.

This initiative aims to inspire the next generation of grounds professionals and showcase the exciting opportunities within the sector.

NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

The GMA NextGen group, sponsored by Reesink UK, is comprised of talented young grounds professionals who represent the grounds management industry. Acting as ambassadors for the GMA, their mission is to encourage more young people to consider a career in grounds management.

With workforce development becoming a pressing priority, this event highlights the importance of engaging with younger generations to secure the sector’s future. The proportion of under-35s involved in the industry has risen significantly in recent years, from 19% in 2022 to 31% in 2024. Events like Schools Into Stadia play a crucial role in sustaining this positive trend by informing young people about careers in grounds care.

Jack Langley & Meg Lay, GMA NextGen Co-Chairs, said: “We’re delighted to be able to host another Schools Into Stadia event as part of #GroundsWeek 2025. The success of the previous two events has been incredible, and we’re incredibly grateful to Wimbledon for hosting us this year. This initiative is a great opportunity to showcase the rewarding careers young people can have in the grounds management industry. We’re excited to inspire the next generation of grounds professionals and highlight the role they play in maintaining some of the UK’s most iconic spaces.”

During the event, a group of local secondary school students will experience the day-to-day responsibilities of a grounds person at the world-renowned All England Club. They will also learn about the career paths available in the grounds care sector and the impact these careers have on sports, recreation and community spaces.

Neil Stubley, Head of Courts and Horticulture at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and GMA Board Member, said: “We are very excited to be welcoming local students to Wimbledon as part of this year’s School Into Stadia event. Initiatives such as Schools Into Stadia ensure that as an industry, we are continuing to promote pathways and careers in grounds management, which is crucial to establishing the next generation of Grounds Managers for years to come. As a year-round team of 18 Groundstaff, we are looking forward to hosting students at SW19 and teaching them how we look after our 18 Championship and 20 practice courts both in and outside of The Championships.”

#GroundsWeek, taking place from Monday 17 to Sunday 23 March 2025, celebrates the vital work of grounds staff across the UK and highlights opportunities to get involved in this rewarding profession. The week is a chance to raise awareness, share stories, and inspire the workforce of the future.

For more information about #GroundsWeek 2025 and how you can support the initiative, visit thegma.org.uk/groundsweek/.

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GMA NextGen welcomes four new members

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GMA NextGen welcomes four new members: The Grounds Management Association (GMA) is pleased to announce the addition of four new professionals to its NextGen group.

GMA NextGen, sponsored by Reesink UK, is comprised of talented young grounds professionals who represent the grounds management industry and act as ambassadors for the GMA. Their mission is to encourage more young people to consider a career in grounds management.

GMA NextGen welcomes four new members

GMA NextGen welcomes four new members

Luis Arregui, Deputy Grounds Manager at Real Madrid City, joins the GMA NextGen group with the aim of promoting a profession he believes is key to sports success. With a degree in Forest Engineering, he combines agronomic knowledge and a passion for sports to advance in his career, aiming to inspire the next generation in grounds management.

Flynn Good, Skilled Sports Turf Operative at Leicester City FC, is hoping to connect with others in grounds management and inspire future professionals. He began volunteering at his local club at the age of 10, driven by a love for maintaining high-quality playing surfaces and takes pride in his team’s impact on players’ success.

Jack Leather, Specialist Groundsperson at Liverpool FC, aims to raise awareness of grounds management as a viable career. Inspired by his father, Jack developed a passion for the industry early on. He enjoys seeing the direct results of his work and is especially passionate about using science and data to improve surfaces and sustainability.

Oliver Mahon, Grounds and Gardens Manager at Monkton Combe School, joins GMA NextGen to promote grounds management to the next generation. His love for sports, the outdoors, and machinery led him to study horticulture and agriculture. He takes pride in preparing high-quality pitches for students, enjoying their appreciation for his team’s work.

Jack Langley & Meg Lay, GMA NextGen Co-Chairs, said: “We’re excited to see more young professionals joining the GMA NextGen group and helping to raise awareness of the incredible career opportunities in grounds management. It’s an industry that offers so much variety, and we’re looking forward to working alongside our new members to showcase the value and impact of our profession.”

With an estimated 1,500 professional grounds staff potentially retiring each year, workforce development is a pressing priority for the industry.

The GMA NextGen group plays a vital role in addressing this challenge by not only promoting the opportunities available within grounds management but also providing a platform for emerging professionals to share ideas and learn more.

By engaging with younger generations, the group helps ensure a sustainable pipeline of talent to safeguard the future of the profession and maintain the high standards expected across sports and green spaces.

Jennifer Carter, Director of Communications & Marketing at the GMA, said: “We know the industry is facing significant challenges in terms of workforce shortages, but the GMA NextGen group continues to make a real difference in addressing these issues. They’ve done an outstanding job in attracting talented young professionals, not only to the group but also into the wider industry, showing the rewarding careers available in grounds management. We’re really pleased to welcome the four new members to the group and look forward to seeing their contributions as they help shape the future of our industry.”

For more information about the GMA NextGen programme or the new members, please visit thegma.org.uk/who /ambassadors.

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GMA NextGen Inspires Youngsters at Schools into Stadia

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GMA NextGen Inspires Youngsters at Schools into Stadia: As part of #GroundsWeek 2024, the organisation’s annual awareness campaign, the GMA’s newly refreshed NextGen (previously Young Board of Directors) hosted a Schools into Stadia event at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol on Tuesday 19 March.

The Schools into Stadia programme aims to showcase grounds management as a viable career pathway for young people in education. With support from the GMA, Reesink Turfcare and Bristol Bears Foundation, GMA NextGen member Jack Langley hosted the event which offered youngsters local to Bristol the opportunity to gain valuable experience and provide the group with a deeper understanding of what duties a groundsperson undertakes in their role.

GMA NextGen Inspires Youngsters at Schools into Stadia

GMA NextGen Inspires Youngsters at Schools into Stadia

A group of students were invited along to the home of Bristol City FC and Bristol Bears to take part in theoretical and practical learning. The group was split into two, with one half guided through an interactive theory session which touched on the various forms of grass seed, how it grows, and how to keep it healthy. The other group were taken onto the pitch and given the opportunity to interact with the various pieces of kit, even having a go at line-marking the pitch and deepening their knowledge of various day-to-day tasks a grounds person undertakes.

GMA Key Account Manager for football, Tom Rowley, then delivered a careers presentation to the group, highlighting the various pathways into the industry.
NextGen new recruit Jack Langley, Deputy Head Groundsman at Ashton Gate said:

“Inviting young people along to my place of work to give them a flavour of what a career in grounds can look like has been extremely rewarding, especially as some of the attendees have shown an interest in returning to experience work on a match day.

Within my new role as part of GMA NextGen, I’m keen to shine a spotlight on the industry and encourage more young people to join.”

Geoff Webb, Grounds Management Association’s CEO commented:

“The schools into stadia events always inspire. To work with sporting venues such as Ashton Gate and tap into the community schemes that engage young people and bring opportunities to work in sports turf is always rewarding. The insights these days bring puts our sector and profession into focus as a great career option.”

Following a day of learning, one of the students in attendance said:

“It was so interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes at a large stadium. I enjoyed learning more about the equipment and using the line marking machine.”

Following another successful School into Stadia event, the GMA NextGen with support from sponsor Reesink Turfcare will continue to raise the profile of the industry and work to inspire young people by hosting more events and activations across the country.

#GroundsWeek took place from 18 – 24 March 2024. Keep an eye on GMA social media channels to find out more about its NextGen.

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