A new equine groom apprenticeship was announced by the government earlier this month (23 October) following a united campaign by the equestrian community.
The standard of the new apprenticeship scheme was set by the member bodies of the BEF, the British Horse Racing Authority, equestrian charities, The Household Cavalry, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and facilitated by Trent Park Equestrian Centre.
In this third phase of the government’s apprenticeship initiative 700 employers will design 76 apprenticeships in professions ranging from TV production to welding and including the occupation of equine groom.
“This will give the many strands of the horse world the opportunity to work together in a universal way for the first time to create a rounded, educated, practical groom with all the skills for the future of the industry,” said Brian Hutton of Talland School of Equitation.
The government hopes the reforms will increase the quality of apprenticeships and enable the successful apprentice to be given the same esteem as a university graduate.
“Our reforms have empowered businesses small and large to design and deliver world-beating apprenticeships that offer a real route to a successful career,” said business secretary Vince Cable.
Launched in 2013 the government’s Trailblazers scheme now has 1,000 employers involved in designing apprenticeships.
“The overall outcome of the reform is to ensure that every industry benefits from a well-trained workforce with transferable skills able to meet the needs of the future economy for years to come,” said Sue Martin of Trent Park Equestrian Centre.
“We will produce a standard of apprenticeship for the equine industry that is world class and builds on existing strengths, with industry and the grooms benefiting from having specialised training in their chosen field,” she explained.
Skills minister Nick Boles congratulated the equestrian Trailblazer team for “the key role it is playing in developing new top quality apprenticeships.”
He said through the Trailblazer initiative companies like Trent Park Equestrian Centre, working with their industry partners “will give people the skills they need to thrive and our businesses need to compete.”
