Burhill Golf & Leisure’s Manager in Training (MiT) scheme has proved an early success with its first trainee progressing to full General Manager in just 10 months.
Ian McDowell, has recently been appointed as General Manager of Redbourn Golf Club, St Albans – part of Burhill Golf & Leisure, theUK’s leading golf course owner and operator – after less than a year on the 18-month programme.
The 31-year-old worked alongside Mike O’Connell, Senior General Manager at Hoebridge Golf Centre inWoking, where he shadowed the GM, learning the intricacies of the day-to-day management of a busy golf facility.
Ian – who was previously Sales and Marketing Executive at The Wisley – quickly proved to be an invaluable asset to the centre and consistently produced results exceeding expectations.
“Ian’s skills at motivating staff, generating and implementing new initiatives complimented the desire of mine to continue the development of Hoebridge Golf Centre,” said Mike O’Connell. “With his experience in the golf industry and his desire to develop his skills he quickly progressed through the MiT program.”
The MiT program offers aspiring General Managers the opportunity to gain experience and a working understanding of the role, while also providing on the job training and development through a structured programme and support.
Ian added: “I’m extremely excited about the job, it has come around a lot quicker than I was expecting but for the last few years I’ve felt I was able to take on a General Manager’s role. It has been one of my goals to manage a golf club and now I’m here it has made the last 10 years of hard work worthwhile.
“Being at Hoebridge gave me an overall picture of the business and the work involved in running a multi-million pound facility. You have to learn very quickly as it’s non-stop, the MiT programme allowed me to experience management but have that safety net of great people around me to help.”
Colin Mayes, Burhill Golf & Leisure Chief Executive said: “To have progressed from MiT to GM in only 10 months not only underlines the ability and determination of Ian to progress in his career, but also the success of the MiT program in training individuals in the operational standards demanded of a General Manager so quickly.”
While Ian moves from Hoebridge to Redbourn, Howard Craft goes the other way. The former Deputy Course Manager has become the second Burhill MiT and will begin his training with Mike to become a General Manager in the future.
Burhill Golf & Leisure www.burhillgolfandleisure.co.uk