Learning and achieving: a new start in turfcare

Carlie Lambert recently passed her Level 2 Sports Turf Apprenticeship with Distinction at Pershore College. 

Carlie works at Dean Close Foundation in Cheltenham and was part of the London Derby all-female ground staff for the Women's Super League game earlier in the year at the Emirates Stadium. We spoke to her about her achievements and her journey so far.

When did you first think 'I want to join the turfcare industry'?

At first, I hated the idea of it; as most people know, my dad's a groundsperson. I wanted to be a vet for a long time because I enjoyed the science behind it.

Halfway through my A levels, I wanted a job and I got a role working with my dad. At first, I didn’t think about it as a career, but it was in 2022 when I thought, ‘I could do this’ and then I fell in love with it and wanted to stay in the industry.

No one understands what the job is - I certainly didn’t until I started working. There is a stereotype of us being grass cutters, but it is much more than that. Before joining the industry, I was like everyone else, I thought it was much simpler, but I can say that there is so much you have to learn. 

How did it feel to get a distinction in your Level 2 Sports Turf Apprenticeship?

I was extremely happy about the distinction; it’s the best you can get and that’s what I was aiming for. I have learnt so much about turfcare including renovations, maintenance, machines and even plant biology.

Dad was also very proud, he put a big post on Twitter (X) to congratulate me. I was also my college tutor's (Dave Coutts) first even distinction in sports turf, which felt like an achievement in itself.

I met some nice people on the course who I will be keeping in contact with throughout my career. I didn’t know anyone in the industry, so college gave me the chance to build relationships before I got started.

Can the industry do anything to attract more women?

It isn’t about women; it's anyone who comes into the industry. The problem for turfcare is that it’s much easier to earn money on TikTok or work in Aldi and Tesco. For a start, we need to look at that side of things and address the pay issue.

It is a really tough industry to work in which tests you a lot more than people think. You look at the hours, when people work in cricket throughout the summer it can be crazy the amount of time you are out working on the field.

At school no one knows what turfcare is; everyone wants to be a mechanic or an accountant. The option of turfcare isn’t even mentioned. We need to talk about the industry more in mainstream media. No one has ever heard of my job when I am talking to people outside of the industry.

What gives you the motivation?

I love my job which gets me out of bed every morning and I like the unpredictability; you do something different every day. I would hate to be sitting in an office answering emails and going to meetings. Even when the weather is horrible, I know I would rather be outside.

Can you tell us a little bit about the all-women team at the Emirates?

I already knew some of the people because of the previous event at Edgbaston. It was great to meet some other new people and learn from them. I had always worked in cricket at that point and working on a football match gave me a great new experience.

The systems and technology are crazy down at the Emirates. Head groundsman, Paul Ashcroft was hands-on with us, providing relevant information and walking us through any challenges.

It was also great to speak to the other girls and learn from them; we are all from different sectors and it was interesting to learn about different aspects of turfcare. Most of the things you learn in this industry is information given by other people and experienced individuals talking to new people is super important.

What are your plans for the future in turfcare?

I am not in a rush to do anything at the moment however, I would love to go down the turf science route in the future. I don’t know the best route of getting into that side of things at the moment, but I'm sure that progression will arise in time.