Case for change

Solution 2: Simplifying Certificate IV Qualifications for Riders and Drivers

In 2019, Skills Impact surveyed 546 people working in the horse care industry to understand skill needs and gaps and how national qualifications and skills standards could be improved to support these. A key finding was that there is a shortage of skilled, competent and qualified track riders. Read the report here. The IRC has requested the removal of two units of competency from the BSB Business Services Training Package as core units from the qualification. This will simplify delivery of the qualification while retaining all of the job role requirements. Feedback from RTOs is that learners are finding it difficult to complete the two BSB units because they include significant learning content that is not necessary for the context of the intended job roles. The change is supported by industry regulators and participants, with feedback indicating that these units do not provide skills needed for the job role of a jockey.

These two solutions were identified in the Racing and Breeding IRC Annual Update to the Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work and approved by the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC).

The Racing and Breeding 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.

Skills Impact will manage this project, consistent with the 2012 Standards for Training Package Development.

Download Project Proposal (see pages 25-32)

Project Plan

Jockeys are elite athletes and need to have the highest level of riding skills, including the ability to react quickly during a race, make decisions and exercise judgement when choosing mounts and assessing horse form. The national qualification to support the job role of jockeys is the Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey). Currently the qualification includes advanced level business skills as core units that are creating issues with training delivery and learner completion. Feedback from implementation of the qualification indicates that these units are difficult to deliver, and difficult for learners to complete. These business skills do not affect the occupational outcomes and roles of jockeys. As a result, the need for inclusion of these units will be reviewed.

Project Scope

This project will review and improve the Certificate II in Racing Industry to broaden further the potential career pathways to include greyhound racing and improve training delivery. The Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) will be reviewed so that it is  easier for training providers to deliver and for learners to complete the qualification without affecting the occupational outcome. Improving the deliverability of these qualifications could encourage more training providers to put them on scope, thereby offering industry more training options to support their objective of encouraging career entrants into the industry and fostering good practice and animal care.

The Racing and Breeding Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has recommended changing the packaging rules of the Certificate II in Racing Industry to allow participants in the greyhound industry, specifically in roles relating to track maintenance and administration, to utilise the qualification. The IRC has also recommended removing two units from the BSB Business Services Training Package from the Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) because they include significant learning content that is not necessary for the context of the intended job roles.

Project Team

Opportunities for stakeholder input

Stakeholder input is appreciated throughout the duration of this project. The documents will be drafted in consultation with the Industry Reference Committee and their networks including Principal Racing Authorities. Opportunities to provide targeted feedback will occur when the draft materials are made available in January/February 2021, and again for validation of final drafts in late February 2021.

Your feedback is welcomed at any time and will help us in drafting the qualifications. It is important that training provides a skilled and flexible workforce for the future. The qualifications need to reflect real work experience. So, if you work in the sector, Skills Impact would love your input and help.

Please feel free to register your interest in project updates and consultation opportunities by following the newsletter subscription link below. Alternatively, please feel free to contact the project manager, Cathy Beven at [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.

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.

Development

Both qualifications have been reviewed and revised following a meeting of Subject Matter Experts. There have been several changes proposed including to the core units of competency and the electives for both qualifications.

Major changes to entry requirements and packaging rules in the Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) have been proposed, which require further consultation and advice from experts, including Quality Assurance panel members and State Training Authorities.

Development outcomes and next steps

Broad stakeholder consultation is scheduled to commence late February 2021, when draft units will be made available for comment on this webpage. Your input on all proposed changes is welcome, please feel free to register your interest to keep informed of project updates and when draft materials are available for feedback.

Drafts Available

The Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) is also being reviewed to support high level racing skills and clarify entry requirements. The advanced level business skills included as core units in the qualification are difficult to deliver and for learners to complete. As these business skills do not affect the occupational outcomes and roles of jockeys, the need for inclusion of these units is being considered.

Subject matter experts, including Industry Reference Committee members and Principal Racing Authorities have been engaged to review and revise the qualifications.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the draft qualifications that were made available on this webpage from 19 February – 11 March 2021. You can still view the documents and any comments made below.

The qualifications were reviewed and updated to incorporate skills to address potential ambiguity in the Entry Requirements for the Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) and to specify that Jockeys are required to maintain a safe and healthy weight in order to participate in this sport. Business units have been removed from the core of the qualification to aid in delivery.

The Certificate II in Racing was reviewed to incorporate units from the greyhound racing sector and remove horse racing specific core units (which have been retained as electives).

Feedback was sought on whether the draft qualifications reflect current skills standards and practices of industry and whether job functions are accurately described.

Feedback will inform further work on the drafts, which are expected to available for industry validation later in March 2021.

Qualifications

The draft documents can be downloaded in Microsoft Word format by clicking here.

Summary of Consultation to Date

The draft qualifications have been drafted in consultation with Subject Matter Experts. People working directly in the greyhound and horse racing industries participated and provided information on the skills and knowledge required for job roles and tasks. Thank you to those who provided feedback during these activities.

Validation

Thank you to those who provided feedback on the final draft qualifications for entry level racing industry and experienced level jockeys. The draft documents were available on this webpage for validation and feedback from 24 March – 26 April 2021.

The Certificate II in Racing Industry was revised so that it applies to skills required across all codes, including thoroughbred, harness and greyhound. It includes skills for understanding animal behaviour and welfare, and working in a manner that is healthy and safe.

The Certificate IV in Racing (Jockey) was reviewed to reflect the expertise required to race thoroughbred horses. Industry feedback has so far supported the removal of advanced level business skills as core units, as they do not reflect the job role and are causing barriers to delivery and completion of the qualification.

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 (IRC) 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. 

Summary of Consultation to Date

Thank you to those stakeholders who provided feedback on the drafts that were made available from 19 February – 11 March 2021, under the ‘Drafts Available’ stage. During this time, feedback was collected via the online feedback hub, webinars, and via email. The units were drafted with guidance from Subject Matter Experts, made up of workplace experts and industry.

A description of how feedback has been considered and applied in these final drafts can be downloaded below. Please click the ‘Download Summary of Feedback, Responses and Actions’ button.

Qualifications