Help to define the equine industry’s national occupational standards

Lantra is calling for horse riders and anyone involved with the equine industry to complete an online survey, to help form the equine industry’s National Occupational Standards (NOS)

Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environment and land-based sector, has the government remit to develop new skills, training and business development.

Amy Cosgrove, industry partnership manager for equine at Lantra, says: “The Standards are a great tool for identifying the skills needed, highlight best practice, develop training and recruitment plans, develop job descriptions, and form the basis of equine qualifications.

The NOS, says Cosgrove, are vital to respond to recent changes on the horse world.

These changes include legislation — livery yard, sanctuary licensing and transport legislation (VOSA), and equine passport; the effects of the recession; and increasing threat of exotic diseases such as equine infectious anaemia.

Workshops have already taken place in March, May and August in England and in Scotland in April, where industry representatives discussed the NOS.

Attendees included the British Horse Society, British Driving Society, British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust, HorseWorld, Equestrian Qualifications GB Ltd (EQL), City & Guilds, KEITS (Keeping Excellence In Trading Standards), British Thoroughbred Association and National Stud.

Lantra now wants as many people involved with horses as possible to fill in the survey, so that the NOS are complete and inclusive as possible.

They are also appealing to colleges with equine course s to fill in the survey, as the NOS will be used in planning curricula.

The survey runs from today until 1 November. Anyone with questions or comments can email standardsandquals@lantra.co.uk or call 02476 858 424. The survey is at www.lantra.co.uk/NOS

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