Greenkeeping student recognised with national award

A former Greenkeeping student has been awarded a City & Guilds’ Medal for Excellence.

SOUTHAMPTON — A former Greenkeeping student has been recognised for his hard work and commitment to his studies.

Matt Plested, who studied the Level 4 NVQ Amenity Horticulture Management course, was awarded a City & Guilds’ Medal for Excellence, which recognises the achievements of students.

Matt, who is the course manager at Stoneham Golf Club in Southampton, said: “I feel very honoured to win the medal. I spent many evenings in front of the computer to achieve my qualification. I felt I needed it to move on in my career but what I didn’t expect was how much of what I learnt I would add to my daily business.”

Head of Landbased Workbased Learning at Oaklands Andy Wight said: “We are delighted to see Matt recognised in this way. He was a fantastic student and all his hard work has paid off because he is now doing a job he loves and putting everything he learnt at college into practice.”

This is the second year running an Oaklands College student has achieved this award and it is the fifth such medal won by a greenkeeping student at the College.

Matt is now in the running for the City & Guilds’ most prestigious award, the Lion Award, which acknowledges the best of the best from across the UK in a range of categories – the winners will be announced in July.

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