Skill to assess and re-train horses and greyhounds in their transition from the racing sector to new environments was identified as a key priority in the 2018-2021 Racing IRC Skills Forecast, page 52. Training package components are to be reviewed to ensure inclusion of these skills to align with Industry standards in relation to animal welfare, current retirement/re-homing programs and, as a result, provide the industry with the potential for growth and new business opportunities.

Qualifications, skill sets and units of competency from the RGR Racing and Breeding Training Package will be reviewed to include these skills, in alignment with Industry standards for animal welfare, current retirement/re-homing programs and, as a result, provide the industry with the potential for growth and new business opportunities.

Skills Impact and the Racing and Breeding Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will take this project through a process that adheres to the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.

Download the IRC Skills Forecast (see page 30-32)

Project Scope

This project will look at the skills required to assess, re-train and re-home horses and greyhounds after their racing careers have finished, and to incorporate these skills into qualifications, skill sets and units for the racing industry.

To ensure a high quality of animal welfare in the transition from horse racing, the industry has developed procedures that require owners and trainers to report on the retirement of horse’s and their destination after their transition from horse racing. Skills identified for this project include assessment and re-training horses in the racing and breeding sector for use in other working environments, breeding or for personal/recreational uses.

Greyhound Principal Racing Authorities aim to advance animal welfare standards of the industry through programs that facilitate rehoming of greyhounds into new environments. Skills required to support these initiatives include conducting behavioural observations of retired greyhounds and assessment of their suitability for assimilation into domestic environments.

Scroll down to view the list of qualifications and skill sets proposed for revision and development as part of this project. They will be incorporated in the RGR Racing and Breeding Training Package.

Relevant Occupations

This is an emerging specialist area/occupation in the horse industry and includes program managers and staff working within ‘Off the Track’ programs, horse behaviour specialists and other racing industry participants such as trainers and owners.

For greyhounds, relevant occupations include Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) staff, dog trainers, greyhound trainers, animal foster workers, animal behaviourists, animal shelter staff, and racing industry participants such as trainers and owners.

Key Deliverables

Current qualifications will be reviewed to determine if newly developed or revised units of competency should be added to the elective banks of qualifications, and whether new skills sets need to be developed.

Timeline

August 2018
Initial scoping

September 2018
Development of draft qualifications, skill sets and units

October/November 2018
Drafts available for broad consultation

February/March 2019
Validation of final drafts

April 2019
Finalisation of Training Package components

April/May 2019
Independent Quality Assurance, and Edit and Equity review of Training Package components

May 2019
IRC consideration for sign-off and submission for endorsement

Project Team

Subject Matter Experts

Subject Matter Experts will be drawn on throughout this project to help review and draft the revised qualifications and potential new skill sets.

If you are interested in applying to be a Subject Matter Expert and are able to volunteer your time to this project, please email details of your expertise to [email protected].

Qualifications and Skill Sets

Below is a list of current qualifications and potential skill sets proposed for revision and development as part of this project.

In preparation for the review of these components, we invite you to provide your input on the current qualifications. We would like to know what changes or updates should be made to the components so that they meet the skills needs of the industry. Use the links below to view the current skill sets on training.gov.au.

Your feedback will help us in drafting the revised qualifications and potential new skill sets.

To provide feedback, please use our feedback form. Alternatively, you can email Ruth Geldard [email protected]

Stakeholder Consultation Process

A list of key stakeholder organisations has been identified for this project. Skills Impact will ensure contact is made with each of these organisations during the development of this project to seek their involvement and their views on the draft qualifications, skill sets and units.

If you are aware of an organisation that you think should be involved, please contact the project team to ensure they are contacted by us.

Of course, all and any interested industry participants are encouraged to engage in the consultation of this project, when the draft skill sets and units are available for feedback via this webpage and workshops that take place around Australia. Consultation is not limited to the organisations on this list. This list simply helps us to identify those organisations that, because of their industry role, size or specialty, are likely to have a key interest in the development and outcomes of this project.

Opportunities for stakeholder input

Stakeholder input is appreciated throughout the duration of this project. The documents will be drafted in consultation with Subject Matter Experts and their networks. Opportunities to provide targeted feedback will occur when the draft materials are made available in October/November 2018, and again for validation of final drafts in February/March 2019. However, your feedback is welcomed at any time, and will help us in drafting the skill sets and units. It is important that training provides a skilled and flexible workforce for the future. The skill sets and units need to reflect real work experience. So if you work in the sector, Skills Impact would appreciate your input and help. Please feel free to register your interest for project updates and consultation opportunities by following the newsletter subscription link below. Alternatively, please feel free to contact the project manager, Ruth Geldard on 03 9321 3526 or [email protected].

The Racing and Breeding Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will oversee this project, as part of their responsibility to support engagement with the sector, and to ensure the project meets industry stakeholder needs.

Consultation has begun with Subject Matter Experts to define skills requirements specific to job roles in transitioning greyhounds from the racing sector to pets and horses from the racing sector to new purposes.

Discussions at initial consultation meetings held recently in Melbourne have considered proposed new units and skill sets in the following areas.

Assess Greyhounds for Rehoming and Foster Retiring Greyhounds (Transition to pet program)

Potential new units

• Assess greyhounds for suitability to transition to a pet unit
• Develop and implement greyhound transition to pet plan unit
• Promote, match and coordinate greyhound adoption unit
• Coordinate volunteers in greyhound transition to pet programs unit
• Coordinate greyhound transition to pet program activities unit
• Interpret and manage greyhound behaviours unit

Potential new skill sets

• Greyhound Preparation for Transitioning to a Pet Skill Set
• Greyhound Adoption Skill Set
• Greyhound Transition to Pet Program Coordination Skill Set

Assess Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds for Retiring and Rehoming (Racehorse Transition to new Purpose)

Potential new units

• Assess racehorses for transitioning to new purpose unit
• Plan and implement racehorse transition plan unit
• Provide advice and organise racehorse transition to new purpose unit

Potential new skill set

• Racehorse Transition to New Purpose Skill Set

Face-to-Face Consultation Workshops – Registrations Open!

Broad stakeholder consultation is scheduled to commence in November, when draft units and skill sets will be made available for comment on this webpage (under the ‘Drafts Available’ menu above) and national consultation workshops will be held. Registration for these workshops are now open – dates and times are listed below.

Please feel free to register for a workshop near you by clicking the corresponding link. Workshops are identified as specific to either greyhounds or horses.  If you have an interest across both horse and greyhound racing codes, then register your attendance for both in your State or Territory. A webinar is also planned for those unable to attend in person.

12 Nov 18, 10am to 12pm – Sydney, NSW (Greyhounds) – register here

14 Nov 18, 10am to 1pm – Hunter Valley (Scone), NSW (Horses) – register here

15 Nov 18, 10am to 11.30am – Brisbane, QLD (Greyhounds) – register here

15 Nov 18, 12pm to 1.30pm – Brisbane, QLD (Horses) – register here

19 Nov 18, 10am to 12pm – Melbourne, VIC (Greyhounds) – register here

19 Nov 18, 12pm to 2pm – Melbourne, VIC (Horses) – register here

20 Nov 18, 10.30am to 11.30am – Hobart, TAS (Greyhounds) – register here

20 Nov 18, 12pm to 2pm – Hobart, TAS (Horses) – register here

22 Nov 18, 10am to 11.30am – Adelaide, SA – (Greyhounds) – register here

22 Nov 18, 12pm to 1.30pm – Adelaide, SA – (Horses) – register here

28 Nov 18, 10am to 11.30am – Perth, WA – (Greyhounds) – register here

28 Nov 18, 12pm to 1.30pm – Perth, WA – (Horses) – register here

Consultation Webinar

Tue 4 Dec 18, 10am to 1pm – Webinar – register here

Thank you to all those who provided feedback on the 17 qualifications, four skill sets and 9 units of competency. The drafts were made available on this webpage for broad stakeholder review from 30 October – 9 December 2018. They have been revised to incorporate the skills required to assess, re-train and re-home horses and greyhounds after their racing careers have finished.

Feedback was sought on whether the draft qualifications, skill sets and units reflect the current skills standards and practices of industry, and whether job functions are accurately described. Feedback will inform the work on the final drafts, which will be available for industry validation in early March 2019.

Thank you to those who participated in the validation process for the final draft qualifications, skill sets and units of competency relating to retraining horses and greyhounds to new purposes. The documents were made available on this webpage for validation and comment from 8 – 31 March 2019.

The final drafts will shortly progress through to the Finalisation stage of the project which includes quality assurance of the documents and review and feedback from the State/Territory Training Authorities. They will then be forwarded to the Racing and Breeding Industry Reference Committee for consideration and sign off, before being submitted to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) to consider and approve for publication on training.gov.au.

Validation means checking and confirming that the documents are logical and factually accurate. 

Download Summary of Feedback, Responses and Actions