The Australian racing industry is one step closer to updated qualifications and skills standards.
Over the past year, industry experts have volunteered their time and expertise to projects in greyhound health assistance, horse breeding and retraining greyhounds and horses to new environments. Thanks to the efforts of the Australian racing industry, the three projects have now been submitted to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) for endorsement.
As part of these projects, skills standards have been revised to better reflect the practices and job roles of the industry. They have been reviewed to support skills in handling and training racing animals throughout the course of their racing career and life after.
Once endorsed by the AISC, the new materials will be published on the training.gov.au website making them available for use by registered training organisations (RTOs).
More information is available on the individual project pages.
Greyhound Health Assistance Services
In recent years, there has been an increase in the range of health services on offer to Greyhounds, such as massage and other non-invasive therapies. Coupled with veterinary care, these alternative therapies can have positive physical and mental health benefits for racing greyhounds. The skills and knowledge requirements of Greyhound Health Assistants doing this line of work have been documented within four new units. A specialisation for greyhound health assistant has been created within the Certificate IV in Greyhound Racing Industry as well as a specific Greyhound Health Assistant Skill Set.
Horse Breeding Skills
The horse breeding sector is intrinsically linked to the racing sector. As such, this project has focused on reviewing breeding qualifications to ensure they are suitable for all kinds of breeding, including throroughbred and standardbred horses. As a result specific units and specialisations have been developed to suit varied job roles, including foal and yearling preparation.
Retraining Horses & Greyhounds to New Environments
Thorough assessment and retraining are required to help a horse or greyhound successfully transition into a new environment. This project has developed specialisations and skill sets to address the specific needs of horses and greyhounds when moving into domestic, equestrian, recreational or farm environments.
