Whilst a lot of workers will be looking to wind down somewhat in this final run-up to the Christmas period, for many turf professionals it's one of the busier times of the year.

With the weather conditions that the UK has experienced over the past couple of weeks, many will have had their backs against the wall, attempting get to surfaces cleared and made safe. The pressure that groundsmen and greenkeepers find themselves under to get fixtures fulfilled and courses open to paying members, should not be underestimated.

But of course we're talking about professionals here. This degree of expectation to get playing surfaces useable in even the most trying of conditions has always been part of the job.

However in order to stay on top of such changing and testing conditions, it is of course vital that professionals are continually learning and staying abreast of the latest techniques. Every opportunity to increase professional knowledge should be enthusiastically taken.

The two main trade association's events are superb opportunities for doing just this. We recently had the IOG's SALTEX which had more educational seminars than ever before - and coming up in January of course is BIGGA's BTME with its truly impressive Continue To Learn component.

Apparently this is selling fast now though. A statement from the Association posted to their website recently says that over 70% of places are already sold. I assume this percentage is even higher now. So professionals interested in taking advantage of the learning opportunities in Harrogate will probably need to move quickly!

Les Howkins MG, BIGGA chairman is quoted on their site saying, “The number of bookings for Continue to Learn at BTME 2018 is fantastic. There’s such a wide variety of education available that there truly is something for everyone, regardless of their position or years in the industry.”

And that is the key statement - "regardless of their position or years in the industry". Continuing Professional Development, as this on-the-job learning is known, is not a concept which a dedicated professional can ever say they are done with. It really is a career-long obligation for practicing professionals.

A definition of CPD given by an online provider of courses says that "at it’s core it is a personal responsibility of professionals to keep their knowledge and skills current so that they can deliver the high quality of service that safeguards the public and meets the expectations of customers and the requirements of their profession."

That statement could not be truer for turf professionals. Getting it right in this industry is vital not only because of the financial implications involved, but more importantly there is a great responsibility involved in making sure that playing surfaces are safe for both the public and professional sports people.

So whilst there is of course a degree of obligation involved in CPD, professionals should see the opportunities available as engaging, fun and incredibly worthwhile.