The Professional Development Awards (PDAs) provide specialist
training for ground staff and provide an academic qualification relating
to the skills of Groundsmanship.
The qualification is available as group awards in three levels; Certificate,
Advanced Certificate and Diploma. Each level has a core and several optional
units. The optional units are sport specific. The units have close links
with other awards to enable existing students to diversify into the sports
turf options. Professional Development Awards are available as single
units to provide total flexibility to the learning. Thanks to generous
financial assistance from the Institute of Groundsmanship all levels are
now available by distance learning.
The original concept was to introduce qualifications that would be sport
specific, rather than the rationalised qualifications that all ready existed.
The first options were Football and Cricket but Rugby is now added to
the list with a Bowls option also in development. All options have the
support of the National Governing Bodies of their respective sports.
The group awards are made up be the following:
| * |
Turf Maintenance |
| * |
Turf Production |
| * |
Fertilisers: Quantity and Application |
| * |
Soils: Formation and Cropping Potential |
| * |
Small Engine Powered Machine Operation |
| * |
Turf Maintenance: Equipment Operation and Maintenance |
| * |
Plant Husbandry: Common Disorders |
| * |
PSD Accident and Emergency Procedures |
| |
|
| |
Optional Units |
| |
|
| * |
Maintenance of Sportsgrounds |
| * |
Organisation of Sportsgrounds |
| * |
Maintenance of Non-Turf Surfaces |
| * |
Tractor Operations 1 |
| * |
Plant Protection: Weed Control |
| * |
Plant Protection: Pest & Disease Control |
| * |
Introduction to Pesticide Application |
| * |
Pesticide Application by Ground Crop Sprayer |
| * |
Pesticide Application by Hand Held Applicator |
| * |
Irrigating Sports Turf Surfaces |
| * |
Turf Grass: An Introduction |
| * |
Soil Science for Turf Managers |
| |
|
| |
Optional Units |
| |
|
| * |
Maintenance of Sportsgrounds |
| * |
Organisation of Sportsgrounds |
| * |
Maintenance of Non-Turf Surfaces |
| * |
Tractor Operations 1 |
| * |
Construction of Sportsgrounds |