The Institute of Groundsmanship is the world's largest

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organisation representing grounds men. Founded in 1934 by W. H. Bowles as the then National Association of Groundsmen, it has sought to improve both the status and standards of grounds professionals. The Institute offers both short term practical courses with IOG certification and long-term educational qualifications certified by

City and Guilds The City and Guilds of London Institute is an educational organisation in the United Kingdom. Founded on 11 November 1878 by the City of London and 16 livery companies – to develop a national system of technical education, the institute has ...

for groundsmen, as well as literature,

jobs Jobs may refer to: * Job, an activity that people do for regular income gain People * Steve Jobs (1955–2011), co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc ** Steve Jobs (disambiguation) * Laurene Powell Jobs (born 1963), widow of Steve Jobs * Lisa ...

, a technical

reference library A library is a collection of Document, materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or electronic media, digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a ...

, advice and consultancy, a local support network, and updates and newsletters.

Membership

Membership of the IOG is divided into three sectors: Individual, Associate, and Corporate. The IOG currently has over 2,000 paying individual members; membership entitles them to a monthly

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

subscription, a technical reference library, free legal advice, support through local branches, access to the IOG

Continuous Professional Development Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensive ...

programme, discounts off

high street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

stores, and IOG training courses.

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Institute of Groundsmanship Groundskeepers Organisations based in Milton Keynes Organizations established in 1934 Playing field surfaces Sport in Milton Keynes Sports organisations of the United Kingdom