A new program to improve local training and employment opportunities in the thoroughbred equine breeding industry launched this week in Scone.
The Thoroughly Schooled Program, has been developed through the Regional Industry Education Partnerships program in collaboration with Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association and TAFE NSW. The Program aims to build practical skills for Year 10 students and expose them to the many multi-layered facets of the thoroughbred industry.
16 students from senior schools across the Upper Hunter Valley Region were successful through an expression of interest to be part of the 2-week Program, which included a week at Scone TAFE campus to gain basic horse skills, visits to the Scone Equine Hospital, Racing Australia Genetics Research Centre and visiting two world-class thoroughbred stud farms. Each excursion will connect the students to discover and learn about the Thoroughbred industry employers and employees and highlights the career pathways open to them.
The Program follows up with a 1-week work-experience component, opening up future job opportunities in this growing sector, advantageous to both the students and the stud-farms.
While Thoroughly Schooled is the first foray into the school space the partnership between HTBA, Training Services NSW and TAFE NSW has been in-place long before the COVID pandemic began to support the equine industry with strategic programs to facilitate a well-trained existing and emerging workforce.
The team behind the program hope to see Thoroughly Schooled expanded to attract Lower Hunter students next year and to attract students from across NSW to be part of the 2022 offering.
Students currently in-school wanting to know more about careers in the thoroughbred equine industry can participate in the upcoming webinar on 2 December where they will hear from Julianne Christopher, Thoroughbred Breeders NSW on school programs; Cecelia O’Gorman, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia on the Fast-Track program; and from Lindy Maurice, Thoroughbred Industry Careers on the Explorer Cadetship & Accelerator Program.
https://dartlearning.org.au/excursion/thoroughbred-equine-industry-careers/
The programs for school-leavers have been very successful over several years, Thoroughly Schooled program and webinar is a great opportunity that should not be missed by students with a love of horses to discover a future in the world-renowned Hunter Thoroughbred industry.
