This is a subscriber-only article
It looks like you're browsing in private mode
LAST Tuesday a group of sixth year students attended the Irish National Stud for a pilot work skills programme.
The initiative was launched by the Irish branch of Together for Racing International (TfRI), a global alliance with members in six countries including Australia, Britain, France, Ireland, Japan and USA.
TfRI coordinates and aligns three identified social opportunities – education, community engagement, and workforce and careers – to empower horseracing’s social impact.
TfRI recognises that, as an elite sport, racing must take responsibility for its people, communities and have a positive influence on societies, and it supports this by generating funding, by creating alignment and by co-ordinating activities.
In acknowledgment of the task at hand, joint TfRI development directors Rob Hezel and Anna Powell were appointed in early 2021 to support participating countries in developing programmes thereby furthering TfRI’s aims at national level.
Leading on from these appointments, Together for Racing Ireland (TfR Ireland) was formed comprising representatives from the Curragh Racecourse, Horse Racing Ireland-Equuip, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Irish National Stud, Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, Racing Academy and Centre of Education, and Godolphin.
TfR Ireland’s vision and goals are firmly aligned with those of TfRI as clearly demonstrated by its first initiative, the provision of a work skills pilot programme for sixth year Leaving Certificate Applied [LCA] students. Generally speaking, the LCA programme prepares students for the working world rather than further education.
On Tuesday the Irish National Stud hosted the launch of this LCA work skills pilot programme. Students and teaching staff from Curragh Post Primary, Kildare Town Community School and St Paul’s Secondary School were invited to attend.
The morning commenced at the Michael Osborne Centre, with students welcomed by Irish National Stud CEO Cathal Beale. This was followed by Joe Osborne, managing director of Godolphin Ireland, giving the students some insight into the Irish bloodstock industry, its position as a world leader and its many rewarding career opportunities.
Jane Mangan was the guest speaker on the day and delivered an inspiring keynote address, connecting with the students on many levels. A raffle of prizes, including jackets donated by The Irish Field, brought the official welcome to a close.
With the formalities concluded, the students and teaching staff were treated to a whistlestop tour of the INS which included the recently launched Irish Racehorse Experience.
All students had an opportunity to try RACE’s mobile racehorse simulator and they visited both the INS stallion yard and foaling unit as part of their tour.
In the glorious Kildare sunshine they met ‘living legends’ Beef Or Salmon, Faugheen, Hardy Eustace, Hurricane Fly, Kicking King and Rite Of Passage.
For many of these young people it was their first close contact with horses and their interactions with racing’s greats was a pleasure to observe.
The work skills pilot programme on offer will see a number of LCA students gain 20 days’ work experience with participating industry organisations over the 2021/’22 academic year. The objective is to give the students an insight into the Irish bloodstock industry, including the wide breadth of career opportunities available.
Commenting on the launch, Joe Osborne said: “It was great to see the launch event at INS so well attended by students from the three schools, teaching staff and industry personnel. This is a welcome initiative and huge congratulations to everyone who has been involved in pulling it together so successfully.
“There has been great progress recently in promoting our industry as a career option and I am confident that many of the Leaving Cert Applied students who avail of the work experience placement will find fulfilling employment in the thoroughbred industry in the future.”
Kildare Town Community School principal John Hayes said: “A great day was had at the Irish National Stud by our students looking at the different equine career pathways, and how inspiration from these majestic horses can enrich lives and career prospects.”
Jane Mangan summed up the initiative’s aims beautifully when saying: “The equine industry has so much to offer young people from all over the world but sometimes the door to opportunity can be difficult to find. TfRI recognises both facts.
“Their efforts will help provide the keys to open those doors and develop opportunities many never thought possible.”
The plan over the next number of weeks is to identify interested students and to match them with their placement hosts. The programme is scalable and transferable, with an ambition for it to be shared and rolled out regionally after the first year with the help and guidance of TfRI.
SHARING OPTIONS: