Most ground keepers are employed by local authorities, although some do work in the private sector, especially in Scotland, at professional football grounds and golf courses.
People working in ground keeping usually start out as basic park workers. Most local authorities offer training schemes through which a park worker can qualify as a craftsman groundsman.
A few Scottish Colleges also offer Scottish Qualifications Authority qualifications in greenkeeping, groundsmanship and golf course management. Full time training courses are also organised by the City and Guilds of London Institute.
For more information and advice on careers and training courses, contact The Institute of Groundsmanship, the professional association concerned with the development of good ground keeping practice.
One of the most highly regarded areas in which a ground keeper works is golf greenkeeping. The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association provide advice on golf greenkeeping as a profession and the type of courses available.