After years of planning and a lengthy approval process, an apprenticeship program for aspiring turfgrass managers in New York has just about hit the halfway mark with its inaugural class.
The New York State Turfgrass Association Apprenticeship Program is a 24-month program for those seeking to improve their turf management skills through a carefully selected curriculum of classroom instruction and on-the-job training.
The program, which was developed through a collaborative effort that includes NYSTA staff, the New York Department of Labor, faculty at SUNY-Delhi and Tyler Bloom of Bloom Golf Partners, the program's administrator, consists of 19 college credits and 4,000 hours of on-the-job training.
More than two years in the planning and development process, the program was approved by the NY Department of Labor in December 2023, and the first group of a dozen students enrolled last fall, and will finish the course in May 2026, said NYSTA executive director Sue VanAmburgh.
"It took about two years before it was finalized with the New York Department of Labor," VanAmburgh said. "It was quite a process to get it approved.
"Since then, it has been a learning process for them and us."
Most of the students enrolled in the program currently work on golf courses. The bulk of the education takes place in a virtual classroom. However, one week each semester all 12 are required to attend classes in person for lab work, with accommodations in university housing.
"They really seem to enjoy that," VanAmburgh said. "They get a chance to network with each other and stay in touch when they go back home."
The apprenticeship is designed primarily for would-be turf managers who lack a two-year or four-year degree, but need the skills acquired in college to further their careers.
The cost of enrolling in the program typically is paid by the employer, which qualifies them for $7,000 in tax incentives. On-the-job training takes place at the golf course where each student already works, but what they do each day no differs from their pre-apprenticeship day-to-day routine, and a qualified instructor or mentor on staff will oversee the process to ensure that work is completed in a manner that would satisfy state DOL requirements. Hours worked on the job count toward that 4,000-hour total.
"It's mostly for people who want to go further in their education but couldn't," VanAmburgh said. "It goes both ways: It's a good thing for the student, and it's a good thing for you as the employer."
On-site training is a combination performing and learning the following:
- Project management, drainage, grading and sodding
- Methods of aerification
- General small-engine maintenance
- Trim trees/shrubs using hand and power-operated equipment
- Field maintenance
- Adjustment and repair to irrigation/voltage lighting systems
- Facility and field upkeep
- Water management
- Daily maintenance and projects
- Application of fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides
- Golf course maintenance, or sports field maintenance
NYSTA needed a Guinea pig to go through the program on sort of a Beta process, and Ryan Bain of Noyac Golf Club in Sag Harbor, New York, was only happy to comply, going through the program from 2022-24.
"I knew the program was just starting, but someone had to be first," Bain said. ". There was some unknown along the way, but I had a great support system between the team at Noyac, Delhi and NYSTA. Any time I had questions someone was there to answer them and guide me through the process."
When Bain was hired at Noyac four years ago under superintendent Brian Goleski, CGCS, part of the onboarding was sending him to a two-year program at Rutgers or Penn State.
Above, Ryan Bain, now the assistant superintendent Noyac Golf Club in Sag Harbor, New York, is the first student to successfully complete the New York State Turfgrass Association Apprenticeship Program. Top, Bain installs sod as part of the apprenticeship program that allows students to gain classroom instruction and valuable on-the-job training in a variety of areas at their current place of employment. Below, Bain works on tree management at Noyac Golf Club. All photos courtesy of Ryan Bain
"Ultimately, we chose the apprenticeship so I could stay on property full time and develop my skills in real-life applications," Bain said. "The apprenticeship seemed to have more advantages than disadvantages for the club because I could continue working, learning and being productive while taking classes. It was advantageous to me personally, because I continued collecting a paycheck while enrolled and did not have to go without income while furthering my education. I already had a bachelor's degree in business with which the apprenticeship coupled perfectly. I knew I was comfortable with online education, and could handle the workload."
Through the program, he has improved his turf management skills, such as turf, disease and pest identification and treatment, water flow and pump station operation and soil chemistry, while never missing a day of work.
"On the job, I was able to apply all these things, as well as learn how to operate every piece of equipment we use, install and maintain irrigation systems, manage people, scheduling to maximize manpower, budgeting, and so much more," he said.
The seeds for the apprenticeship program first were planted in 2018 when NYSTA first discussed expanding educational opportunities for NYSTA members and turf managers throughout the state as part of a new strategic plan. Developing an education component fell on the shoulders of board member and retired SUNY Delhi instructor Dom Morales.
It was Morales who brought Bloom, a former superintendent whose consulting firm specializes in, among other things, career development.
"We heard the complaints from our members," Morales told TurfNet after the inaugural class started last year. "For every intern candidate there were eight to 10 openings. We couldn't fill them all. University turf schools once were accused of flooding the market with assistant candidates. Now, there is a drought of good, qualified people.
"Approval from the DOL gives the program credibility. There is on-the-job training and related instruction, and everything is documented. Graduates get a certificate that proves they have these skills.
"It's a new way of educating turf professionals and getting them into the field with the knowledge to move up. We hope that employers see it as having someone on their crew who has potential, but can't go back to college. I think it's a win-win."
Being the first person, albeit as a test pilot of sorts, to successfully complete the program already has paid dividends for Bain, whose career goals include, but are not limited to, becoming a head superintendent and perhaps dabbling in course design work.
"I also love the game of golf and have considered pursuing a career with the USGA," he said. "The apprenticeship has already opened doors that would not have been possible otherwise. Immediately upon completing the program I was invited to apply for a head superintendent position. While that job did not work out, there will certainly be more opportunities in the next year and following years."