Golf is a $195 billion industry and it employs over two million people in the U.S., but many job seekers don't realize the potential for a golf career.
Throughout the month of February, the PGA’s Jobs in Golf Month program links employers in the golf industry with potential employees, both PGA Professionals and the general public, via The PGA of America’s online Employment Center.
Most people are aware of golf jobs such as golf professional, golf course grounds keeper and pro shop attendant, but those jobs don’t even scratch the surface of the possibilities within the golf industry.
Although golf is a huge industry, the careers to be had within golf are largely unknown. Students of agriculture begin their college careers without knowing about golf course turf management. Business school students haven’t considered golf sales or golf course management. Many food service businesses and entrepreneurs don’t even know the golf industry possibilities they're missing. The PGA’s annual Jobs in Golf Month program seeks to make people aware of those and other golf career paths.
"The golf industry contributes $61 billion of direct and indirect wage income in local economies and as interest in golf continues to increase, so will the demand by employers to attract qualified talent with golf knowledge and the specific skill sets for both on and off the course positions," said PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb. "The beginning of the year is the time that golf industry employers begin thinking about the upcoming season and Jobs in Golf Month was designed to cater specifically to connect jobseekers to top-notch career and job opportunities throughout the golf industry. The PGA of America’s online resource listed more than 10,000 job postings in 2007 and is a valuable tool for those seeking employment and employers looking for highly qualified candidates."
Not only during Jobs in Golf Month, but year-round. As Whitcomb stated, employers and potential employees can find each other through the PGA of America’s online Employment Center. Through the site, employers can access nine region-specific PGA Employment Consultants or add golf job postings to hire candidates interested in working in various positions throughout the golf industry. In addition, jobseekers can post résumés, access employment opportunities for hundreds of open positions, read testimonials, find out about different types of jobs in the golf industry and learn how to become a PGA Professional. Job opportunities range from General Manager to Teaching Professional positions for PGA Professionals, and Caddie Master to sales positions for the general public.
The PGA also offers CareerLinks, a complimentary employment referral service with nine regional PGA Employment Service Consultants based throughout the country, to provide support to employers and PGA Professionals. Other employment services include CareerNet, a PGA member-only site, which offers PGA Professionals an online way to seek out and hire assistant professionals, teaching professionals and other PGA Professional support staff. The PGA also retains the services of a wage-and-hour consultant to help PGA Professionals and employers interpret labor laws and wage-and-hour information.
Visit the Suite 101 Golf article, A Career in Golf, for information on the Professional Golf Management program offered at many colleges across the U.S.
Source: PGA.com.
