Equine industry committee set up

Press, 28 November 1979, Page 26

Equine industry committee set up

jhTie first step towards pntnning and organising a nationwide training progeramme for the equine industry was taken last W’eek with the establishment of an Bqjuine industry training icommittee under the auspices of the Agricultural Training Council. | The committee has come into being after more than a year’s preliminary work by a steering committee comprising representatives of racing, trotting, breeding, equestrian, agricultural and educational organisations. The committe has been successful in its application to the Vocational Training Council for a Government grant towards the salary and expenses of a full-time executive training officer. An appointment is expected to be made in December. The principal function of the executive training officer will be to realise the training requirements of the equine industry as directed by the training committee. 'The setting up of the committee, under the chairmanship of Mr John Fulton, of Rangiora, has been the result of unanimous recognition among industry groups of) the need to better cater for the teaching of people seeking to make a career in the equine industry, a significant taxpayer and earner of overseas exchange. Several groups within the industry are catering, on a limited scale for the educaItional requirements of their

personnel. However, it will be an initial priority of the executive training officer to establish a career pathway for inductees and to most efficiently co-ordinate the considerable resources available both within the industry and the education system to meet the training priorities laid down by the committee. Groups of leading horsemen, trainers, jockeys and stud managers have 'alreadyproduced for the committee task analyses of work functions. From these, a series of courses will be designed to meet the practical needs of teaching the basics to new entrants. It is planned to start these courses in 1980. An enthusiastic response has already been shown to a small number of pilot courses run both in local areas and at Flock House, the agricultural training college near Bulls. The success of these courses indicates the interest! people in the industry have in improving skills and knowledge.