We are seeking your feedback on projects that have been proposed for 2020 – 2021 and specific changes to the industry environment that have been identified in this year’s Annual Update to the IRC Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work (Skills Forecast).
This year’s Annual Update includes information about employers’ use of training packages and qualifications, barriers to hiring apprentices and trainees, and reasons behind non-completion rates. It also looks at alternative training being delivered, some of which draws on the training package, but is not delivered by registered training organisations.
Proposed projects are summarised below. Feedback is being collected up until 20 April 2020.
The draft Annual Update will be submitted from the Animal Care and Management Industry Reference Committee to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) at the end of April, for their consideration.
Proposed Schedule of Work
2020-21
Project 1: Equine Care Careers
There are transferable skills across a variety of sectors involved in the care of equines. It is recommended that existing qualifications and skills standards are reviewed and repackaged to enable a variety of job outcomes and reduce complexity in the VET system. To achieve this, a ‘job family’ is being proposed by the IRC to reflect the ‘equine care’ sector, which groups a range of current and emerging occupations, such as performance horse (equestrian events), allied health services (nutritionists, body workers, saddle/equipment fitting, dentistry), rescues centres and sanctuaries. Skills standards in these sectors would also be revised to meet industry expectations for practical skills in handling traditional and modern equine tools, horse safety, horse behaviour and horse welfare.
Project 2: Pre-Requisite Barriers To Training
The aim of this project is to remove barriers to training and to strengthen skills in horse safety, behaviour and welfare. Extensive industry consultation and feedback from the IRC-led Equine Industry Survey has suggested that pre-requisite units should be removed. More effective on-going learning could be achieved by embedding horse safety, behaviour and welfare skills in every practical unit of competency. This will negate the need for pre-requisite units and remove barriers to developing specialist skills and knowledge. It will also ensure the robustness and consistency of training, and will reflect the holistic approach to equine welfare that survey participants overwhelmingly demanded.
Equine Industry Survey
In the second half of 2019, Skills Impact conducted a survey on behalf of the Animal Care and Management IRC.
The aim of this survey was to determine the types of horse care services that are undertaken, who is carrying out this work and how, and the skills and knowledge workers and owners possess and, perhaps, develop (whether through formal qualifications or on-the-job experience). The results of this survey was used to inform the Annual Update, along with the information and feedback gathered through the interactions with many of you, and desktop research.
The survey received 546 responses.
Key findings
- The highest-use services are provided by equine dentists, farriers, chiropractors, massage therapists, saddle-fitters, nutritional advisors, physical therapists and clippers (not including veterinary appointments or equine dentists).
- Almost all horse carers/owners make appointments with equine dentists.
- All services are significantly more difficult to identify and arrange in regional, rural and remote areas, and many are of questionable quality.
- There are urgent skills needs in equine-related industries, especially for horse care and welfare.
- There continue to be specific labour force shortages, especially regarding farriers and track riders. These shortages are sometimes addressed by unqualified service providers, who are of varying quality.