Burhill Golf and Leisure Ltd (BGL) has welcomed its newest candidate, Sarah Blunden, onto the company’s prestigious, year-long Management in Training (MiT) programme.
Sarah started working at Wycombe Heights Golf Centre, a BGL venue, in 2006, where she began as a Food and Beverage Assistant whilst studying for a degree in psychology at the University of Plymouth.
“Gradually I was picking up different skills across the centre from running functions to working in the Pro Shop and aiding the sales department, then I took up the role of Administrator at Wycombe Heights in 2012 after completing my Masters,” commented Sarah.
“It was only meant to be a temporary role whilst I looked for a job within mental healthcare, however as my role grew from Administrator to Accounts and Membership Manager I realised that management was where my passion was and where I wanted my career to be.”
The MiT programme, offered by BGL to both BGL employees and outside applicants, is run within the Golf Division and aims to develop talented individuals and fulfil their ambition to become a Golf General Manager.
The programme runs for one year and works to build an individual’s technical knowledge and leadership skills. Successful applicants are able to gain ‘real world’ experience under the supervision of a qualified General Manager and cover modules such as leadership, golf operations, retail, sales and marketing, golf course maintenance, food and beverage, human resources, accounting, and General Manager administration.
“BGL are committed to helping employees to reach their full potential in a supportive and enriching environment,” commented Guy Riggott, Operations Director at BGL. “The MiT programme is a great example of this commitment; it provides the opportunity for aspiring General Managers to take advantage of the wealth of experience and breadth of facilities we have on offer at BGL.
“We want our MiT candidates to feel confident and well-equipped to manage their own BGL venue, so we strive to provide them with as much experience and knowledge as possible to give them the best possible start in their new role,” continued Guy.
Candidates who have successfully completed the course have included Pippa Irvine, Ian McDowell, General Manager at Redbourn Golf Club, and Howard Craft who is the current General Manager at Wycombe Heights, and whom Sarah has been learning from during her time at the club.
“I’m lucky to have been accepted onto the Management in Training programme and am excited to work across all the sites and learn from some fantastic General Managers,” continued Sarah. “I have always enjoyed working for BGL within a busy golf centre, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
Sarah began her MiT programme at the beginning of August, and will complete her first stage of training at Birchwood Park and Country Club, a BGL venue in Dartford that is currently undergoing a £5 million development that is due to be completed in early 2017.
Burhill Golf and Leisure Ltd www.bglcompany.co.uk