A TAFE NSW Ryde student is taking advantage of jobs growth in the greenkeeping industry, combining his passion for golf and green thumb to find a career that he loves.

Over the past five years, the number of greenkeepers grew sharply, a trend the Australian Government Job Outlook predicts will continue, with around 14,000 jobs opening nationally for greenkeepers in the years to 2023.

Samuel Rose had always had an interest in golfing and the greenkeeping industry. With a bit of a green thumb, he decided to combine the two and pursue a career he would love.

While completing a Certificate III and IV in Sports Turf Management at TAFE NSW Ryde, Mr Rose gained employment with Atlas Golf Services, where he worked as a greenkeeper, preparing and maintaining golf courses ahead of tournaments.

Mr Rose said, “I originally chose to study greenkeeping at TAFE NSW due to the flexibility that it provides to both study and work simultaneously, as well as the networking and practical experience that TAFE NSW Ryde offered.”

Training the workforce of the future, TAFE NSW Ryde is one of the largest horticulture training centres in the world. Equipped with a full size cricket pitch, golf green and bowling green, it provides students like Mr Rose with the opportunity to practice their skills in a real world environment.

“I’m really a hands-on learner and love to get involved in the practical elements of the workforce which is the reason I chose to study at TAFE NSW Ryde.

“Using the facilities on campus I learnt a variety of skills like how to safely operate machinery, install and schedule irrigation, plant nutrition and pest monitoring, which all translated directly into my role as a greenkeeper,” said Mr Rose.

Set to start a Diploma of Sports Turf Management in semester two, which commences on Monday 22 July and begin working at Mount Broughton Golf and Country Club in the Southern Highlands, Mr Rose is ready to take his career to the next level.

“I have fallen in love with the greenkeeping industry and my passion continues to drive me to reach my goals into the future,” he said.

To find out more about studying sports turf management at TAFE NSW, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601

Media contact: Emma Cawley, TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner, emma.cawley1@tafensw.edu.au, mobile 0412 478 415.