HRI Industry Education and Training Survey Results Announced

The education and training survey results, which 699 people participated in from Nov. 4-Dec. 16, 2019, were announced by Horse Racing Ireland on Tuesday. The main challenges of all survey participants-147 employers, 482 employees and 47 students-were financial and getting time off for additional training. Other issues for employees are work hours and low income, while for employers, set-up costs and staff shortages were problems. The 2020 industry education and training strategy developed by HRI to combat these changes are as follows:

• Attract people to join the racing and breeding industry
• Develop people to deliver and grow their skills and career in the racing and breeding industry
• Support employers to retain staff to deliver and grow within the racing and breeding industry

These priorities will provide HRI with actions to develop a range of subsidized education and training services to the entire industry to upskill, re-train and recruit/retain staff.

“This was the first time a training education survey was conducted across the horse racing and breeding industry and provided us an opportunity to hear directly from people working in the industry,” said HRI Industry Education and Training Manager Grainne Murphy. “The data provided has helped to shape and inform our training and education strategy 2020-2022.

“Improving training and education opportunities must be a shared endeavour and we hope data from this survey along with future surveys can help drive change. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to complete the survey, especially my colleagues in the Irish Stablestaff Association, the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association, the Restricted Trainers' Association, the Jockeys' Association, RACE, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in helping us deliver this survey.”