Apprentice Groundskeeper

Summary

Crystal Palace Football Club Academy are looking for an Apprentice Groundskeeper to assist in the Club pitch maintenance programme and to ensure the delivery of an excellent playing surface at Selhurst Park Stadium, the Training Ground in Beckenham and the Academy grounds.

Wage

£23,808.75 a year

Training course

Sports turf operative (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday shifts - starting at 07:00 finishing around 14:30

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 July 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

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

• Carrying out grounds maintenance works to the training pitches, stadium pitch and associated grounds and facilities as instructed, to a satisfactory standard
• Undertaking maintenance of grass areas hedgerows, trees and shrubs
• Operating machinery and equipment associated with sports pitch and grounds maintenance as instructed
• Ensuring the machinery and equipment is used correctly and kept clean, and when not in use put back to appropriate storage locations
• Preparing to work at the Club facilities and other leisure sites as hours and day shifts require, these can include evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays
• Representing the Club in a professional manner. This is a high-profile role; therefore, you must present with a clean and smart appearance at all times. Club uniform and PPE will be provided by the Club which must be worn on duty
• Attending workshops when required as part of the course
• Other duties and responsibilities as required by line manager
• Upholding and promoting the Club policies and procedures, including Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities policies and procedures

Where you'll work

Selhurst Park Stadium
Holmesdale Road
London
SE25 6PU

Training

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

College or training organisation

TRAIN TOGETHER LIMITED

Your training course

Sports turf operative (level 2)

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.

Your training plan

• Sports Turf Operative Level 2 
• Training will take place at our sites Selhurst Park, Academy and First Team Training ground
• Attending workshops when required as part of the course

Requirements

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Attention to detail
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Patience
• Physical fitness