Residents from across the region are to be supported into work
through a new one-of-a-kind training course in equine management
backed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The innovative training course, which is being delivered in
Solihull and Wolverhampton, will help address significant labour
shortages within the equine industry. It will
provide extensive equestrian knowledge and practical skills,
including horse management and handling, equine health, and
stable design.
The course will be open to a wide range of people and provide
specialist support to help ex-offenders, veterans, the homeless
and residents who are long-term unemployed develop the skills
they need to find work in the industry.
The course has been co-designed by renowned horse trainer Milton
Harris Racing alongside a consortium of employers and RMF
training, who specialises in delivering employment-led programmes
that target those who need to overcome barriers into work. It has
also been backed by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and HM Prison
and Probation Service (HMPPS).
WMCA will invest £500,000 of its devolved Adult Education Budget
to develop and run the pilot - the first training course of
its type in the West Midlands.
, Mayor of the West Midlands
and chair of the WMCA, was present at Solihull Racing Club
earlier today for the official launch and met with eleven
trainees on the programme as well as trainers and representatives
from RMF.
The Mayor said: “A key part of my mayoral mission is to ensure
local people across our region have the skills they need to
succeed by accessing high quality job opportunities.
“And the more diverse the range of opportunities we can offer,
the better. We’re certainly achieving that in this case through
what is a rather unique equine skills management course. For
those who may have faced personal challenges or fallen on hard
times, I hope the therapeutic nature of this programme and the
significant employment prospects on offer in this sector gives
participants a fair shot at finding a rewarding career.
“I want to thank Milton Harris Racing for sharing their sector
expertise with us in designing this course and I hope this pilot
will be a starting point for much more exciting collaboration in
the months and years ahead.”
One person who has greatly benefitted from the course is Emily
Kirk, who wants to use the skills she has acquired in a career as
an equine chiropractor.
She said: “I’ve loved my time on the course and have learnt
everything from the basics of saddling a horse and maintaining
its stables correctly, to vital grooming and stud work.
“It has been an ideal way to create a pathway for my dream job
working within the industry, as I’m not sure how else I would
have able to learn and make the connections I have
otherwise.”
Each person in the programme will be supported with accommodation
as part of the job, and offered mentoring support and signposting
to other support organisations.
In addition, further work experience is available during race
days at Dunstall Park in Wolverhampton where individuals can get
hands on learning behind the scenes.
Ray McGee, managing director of RMF Training Group, said:
“We're proud to have a played a big part in creating
this inclusive equine management course which will ensure all
participants have access to the training, skills, and support
they need to become a success in the sector.
“The funding and support given by both the WMCA and Milton Harris
Racing has been instrumental in making this a reality and we’re
keen to develop more innovative programmes like this to meet
demand and support residents in near future.”
Cllr George Duggins, WMCA portfolio lead for skills and
productivity and leader of Coventry City Council said: “The
WMCA’s equine skills training course will not only help address
significant labour market shortages, but also represents the
region’s commitment to help people into work from across all
backgrounds and support them to get on the right track to land a
good career in the future.
“It is vital that we continue to offer the chance for people to
retrain and upskill as it will have such a critical role to play
in creating talented workforces throughout the region and further
strengthen the backbone of our future economy.”
For more information on WMCA funded bootcamps, please
visit https://www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/productivity-and-skills/
