The Grounds Management Association has once again been accredited to the matrix Standard, a Department for Education-owned international standard for services delivering high quality information, advice, and guidance.
Reaccreditation to the matrix Standard confirms formal recognition of the GMA’s achievement in delivering industry-wide information, advice, and guidance, and further enhances the GMA’s reputation as a leading provider of education and development within the grounds management industry.
Following an assessment of GMA staff and services, the matrix Standard reported that the GMA had ‘excelled in several areas of its delivery of services’.
The matrix Standard ensures that all areas of the GMA hold the skills needed to support members of the grounds management community with their development. Statements from the matrix Standard’s report highlighted that the GMA has developed a strong culture around encouraging continuous professional development (CPD) for all members of staff – this will in turn benefit members, learners and all others who engage with GMA products or services.
The variety of formats for the delivery of information, advice and guidance from the GMA was also commended. Offering education through a wide range of formats ensures that there is a way to learn and develop that suits everyone’s needs – the matrix Standard commented that the combination of formats ‘come together to give an overall and cohesive understanding to the recipient/learner'.
Another highlight was the GMA’s positive impact on providing learners with long-term development of skills which can aid career progression. The report noted that GMA learners reported that their experience helped them to ‘appreciate progression opportunities in line with career aspirations’, showing that the GMA helps learners not just improve their knowledge, but also helps them to understand what opportunities they can pursue throughout their career.
Roger Chapman, Head of the matrix Service for The Growth Company said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for the Grounds Management Association and I would like to congratulate the team on their success. We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available.
“The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, the Grounds Management Association is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”
Dan Prest, Head of Technical and Learning at the GMA, said following the reaccreditation:
“I’m delighted that the GMA has again been reaccredited to such a well-respected standard. It’s a strong indication that the level of information, advice and guidance offered by the GMA is of a high standard and meets the needs of today’s industry.
“Reaccreditation to a prestigious Department for Education standard, proves that we are continuing to provide top class support for individuals looking to develop their knowledge, as well as other essential skills needed to succeed in the sector, like problem solving, time management and communication.”
Following another successful reaccreditation, CEO of the GMA, Geoff Webb is full of praise for the GMA team:
“The matrix Standard recognises the important work that goes into delivering information, advice, and guidance across the whole of the GMA, from the Technical and Learning team to the Pitch Advisory Service, so it really is a testament to the hard work of staff across the organisation that the GMA is recognised for the exceptional service offered by all departments.
“With workforce development being a key strategic pillar of GMA activity over the coming years, ensuring that we are continuously meeting high standards in the delivery of services is essential. The Department for Education’s matrix Standard offers a benchmark to measure ourselves against, so to meet the high standards expected in reaccreditation gives us confidence that we’re doing the right things to better support the sector.”
For more information about the GMA’s education and career development opportunities, take a look at the GMA’s Learning Prospectus or contact the Learning team at Learning@thegma.org.uk.