Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) is excited to launch a new program that provides a pathway into the breeding industry for people changing career.
TBA Stud Start will give participants the opportunity to take part in an intensive 10-day introduction to breeding course at TAFE in Scone, followed by a work placement on a respected stud farm.
The program was developed after TBA received a record number of entries for its well-established national traineeship program, Fast Track.
“Fast Track has developed into a really successful course that brings people into breeding who would otherwise not get involved, but most of our trainees are in their early twenties or teens. This year we had a number of applicants who were a little more mature apply for Fast Track, so we were keen to tailor a program for them,” said TBA chief executive, Tom Reilly.
TBA Stud Start will begin on Wednesday June 21 and there are still a handful of places available on the course. Candidates are welcome from across Australia and people wanting to apply can click on the link below or email careers@tbaus.com.
During the induction in Scone the students will have the opportunity to do both classroom-based and practical ‘hands on’ learning with horses. The aim is to provide participants with the basic skills and knowledge to start their journey in the industry’s workforce.
This learning opportunity will also be supported with practical demonstrations from industry experts, as well as visits to farms in the Hunter Valley. For those taking part, TBA will pay for all training and accommodation during the program.
“This is a great opportunity for anybody who has looked at the breeding industry and thought that there might be a role in it for them. We think there are people who are looking for a change in direction in their career and this provides them a chance to do something that they will hopefully fall in love with,” said Madison Tims, TBA’s education and projects manager.
Stud Start is the latest initiative from TBA in the training and education space. Earlier this year the organisation launched its online education platform TBA Learning and it is also running a series of management skills workshops across the country in June and July.
The Fast Track program is now in its sixth year and there are 18 students arriving in Scone this weekend to begin that 12 month course. For the first time, Fast Track will include trainees who will be based on farms in Tasmania and Western Australia once they have completed their four-week training period in the Hunter Valley.
“We’re really excited about Stud Start and we’ve worked hard in the last month to try and get the course off the ground. We’re grateful to TAFE NSW for the effort they’ve put in with us to design a program that will work for this group,” added Reilly.
“I’d encourage anyone who has thought about a career working with horses and is looking for an opportunity to get in touch.”
