A group of apprenticeship students studying Horticulture courses at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s Lackham campus benefitted from a wealth of insight from various industry experts last week when they attended SALTEX 2021.
In total, 31 students studying the College’s Level 2 Horticulture and Landscape Operative apprenticeship course attended SALTEX – the Sports Amenities Landscaping Trade Exhibition – held at the NEC in Birmingham.
SALTEX is the leading turf management event for groundscare volunteers, professionals and manufacturers. The exhibition offers attendees a range of opportunities to discover the latest industry trends and innovations, enhance their education and learn from industry experts.
The event is run by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), whose Head of Technical and Learning, Dan Prest, met with a group of students and also organised a programme them to participate in.
This programme involved a challenge which was won by two College students – Natalie Regan and Luca Kerrigan.
The challenge saw students appointed as the Grounds Team at a fictional football club, with the club’s board giving them an unlimited budget to produce the best pitch possible under the sole condition that it was to be as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible. Students were required to visit the various stands at SALTEX and create a wish list of equipment they required before presenting their ideas to a judging panel.
Valuable networking opportunities were also available at the event and College staff were able to book guest speakers to visit students on-campus in the future.
Victoria Fiander, Assessor in Horticulture at Lackham, said: “We had a fabulous time at SALTEX and it was a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn first-hand from experts and industry leaders.
“It was a really enjoyable day and there was some fantastic feedback for our apprentices.”
For more information on the College’s range of Horticulture courses, click here.
