On Wednesday and Thursday this week I, along with my colleagues from TurfPro and Service Dealer, will be attending this year’s SALTEX show at the Birmingham NEC.

We have a stand (HO11) and are looking forward to meeting many industry practitioners and managers who have taken the time out to come to the show. 

It will be interesting to see the turn out this year, so soon after the recent GroundsFest show held in September?  

SALTEX was first held in 1938 at the Hurlingham Club. I can’t claim to haven’t attended every one (!), but I’m proud to say I haven’t missed a single IOG / GMA Show since 2000. I view it as an important opportunity to keep in touch with what’s going on in our ever-changing industry.

Organisers say that this year they have 400 exhibitors to see, plus the opportunity to attend many educational seminars as part of their Learning Live agenda.

As an RFU volunteer pitch advisor, I shall be keen to catch up with what's available in multi-sport facility funding from the panel of governing body representatives from the ECB, the FA, the RFL, the RFU and the Football Foundation. This panel is set to include:

• Ted Mitchell, national facilities development ,anager - Rugby Football Union
• Andy Clay, programme manager (grass pitches) - The Football Foundation
• Iain James, head of facilities services - England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
• Tom Little, facilities manager - Rugby Football League (RFL) 

Having recently attending a RFU webinar with over 80 rugby clubs in attendance, there is a substantial pot of money being made available for pitch improvements and machinery for grass roots clubs. 

This seminar is on the first day of the show, Wednesday at 10am, on the Community Sports stage.

As for other seminars, I shall be keen to attend How to attract young people into the industry. This will be held at 13.00 on Wednesday on the main stage.

The expert panelists in this session will discuss the diverse opportunities that the grounds sector offers young people - and how to encourage them to get started on a rewarding career.

It will certainly be an interesting debate and one which for a number of years has been the talk of the industry. 

For me personally, this is one of the biggest challenges our industry has had to face for many years - particularly post-Covid. Encouraging young people to come and work in our diverse industry is proving to be difficult. Principally, I’d argue this is down to pay and conditions. Also I feel school leavers are not aware of the sheer scale of roles that are available in our industry and, more importantly. what career paths are available to them.  

The problem with our industry in general is that we are fragmented, with many aspects not working together. 

I will say we have many admirable, hardworking, national organisations representing our industry. The likes of the GMA, BIGGA, R&A, BAGMA, APSE, PMA, Lantra, Basis, Amenity Forum, Arb Association, Landscape Institute, Fields In Trust, RHS, Gardeners Guild, and many others, are all aware and doing their bit to get new blood into the industry. Also many of our major equipment manufacturers do similar. And not forgetting the colleges and education institutions.

But the question remains, is what all these organisations are doing, enough to solve this recruitment crisis. 

I personally do not think it is enough.

I would like to see the collaboration of many of these organisations, finally coming together to deliver a new national education / academy scheme. Essentially a new pathway programme that entices the next generation to come and work in our industry.

The government, I hear, has a substantial amount of money to commit to such a scheme that ideally should pay for their education and wages during the duration of a two-year pathway programme. The aim should be to see five thousand students a year for the next five years. That would hopefully bring in 25,000 new recruits into our industry. Yes, it’s a big ask, but doable I believe.  Certainly if there was willingness to come together.  

Ideally the scheme will enable the student to attend college and experience four different placements, to give them the all-round experience to work in our industry.

We have a sector that can offer many different placement needs depending on what the student would be interested in.

Local authorities would have placements in many of their parks and departments. We then have all the different sporting venues to choose from. There’s also private gardens, nurseries, forestry, National Trusts, RHS  gardens, English Heritage, plus many others.

It is not time now for our industry to finally come together for the benefit of us all?

This new collaboration of the senior CEOs and managers of all of the above and interested parties, have a great opportunity to make a difference and perhaps solve the three major challenges facing our industry - pay and conditions; recruitment; and recognition of what we bring to the table as turf professionals.

I look forward to meeting you at SALTEX.