Our Equine, Greyhounds and Racing Workforce Development Plan contains further analysis of Industry, Workforce and Learner data trends.
Equine, Greyhounds and Racing industry trends
These industries have been through significant challenges as a result of recent (and ongoing) Government reviews calling for reforms. The move to a more tightly regulated industry and focus on both animal welfare and worker safety will require increased training and skills to meet these needs.
The Equine, Greyhounds and Racing industry is made up of three racing codes which include Thoroughbred racing, Harness racing and Greyhound racing. The Equine, Greyhounds and Racing industry contributes about $1.6 million to GDP annually. The industries have faced challenges with Government recent reviews calling for significant changes and reforms.
Equine, Greyhounds and Racing workforce trends
The workforce currently has low levels of formal qualifications, with a critical proportion having no qualifications at all, and would need a substantially higher than requested level of investment to reach industry benchmark parity (see Appendix C for more detail on the methodology). The industries have struggled with attraction and recruitment and have low new entrant retention rates and low levels of industry tenure which drive a need for training of replacements and to provide pathways to attract & retain workers.
Equine, Greyhounds and Racing workforce overview and highlighted demographics
In 2020, 5,000 people worked in the industry. Between 2011 and 2021, 8% of learners identified as Māori and 71% identified as female. This is comparable to the workforce counts for people identifying as Māori, which was 9% in 2021, but significantly higher than the percentage of the workforce who identified as female in 2021, at 48%. However, this is a comparatively higher percentage of females than the average across all Muka Tangata industries, but a lower percentage of Māori representation. We understand through engagement with industry that low wages may be contributing to difficulty attracting and retaining staff. This aligns with the data which shows that median earnings for workers in Horse and Dog racing activities is lower than for workers across all industries in NZ, and the worker turnover rate is higher. Industry have expressed concerns about low staff retention, which they also feel is linked to a lack of clear pathways. Recruitment is a challenge, particularly for Thoroughbred and Harness racing. A change in immigration settings has exacerbated the difficulty in recruiting a skilled workforce.
Equine, Greyhounds and Racing Workforce retention and tenure
The Equine, Greyhounds and Racing Workforce has a low level of new entrant retention and a low level of industry tenure. This replacement demand also is a driver of training requirements in this industry. This training is not lost to the sector – over a third of new entrants to Muka Tangata industries come from another Food and fibre industry and our qualifications are increasingly focused on transferable skills. Specialised education and retention are associated with retention – so increased training is expected to support retention within the industry and broader sector.
Which specific qualifications and credentials do you want to see growth in (that can be supported by TEC investment in 2025)?
| Qualification or credential | Mode | Specific regions? | Scale of change you are seeking for 2025 | Evidence of workforce need – include as text below the table or an attachment | Evidence that this provision will meet the workforce need | WDC-assigned priority level (for this advice) |
| New Zealand Certificate in Equine Skills (Level 2) [2375] | 10-15% | The equine industry has noted that new entrants are often school leavers with no qualifications and in need of greater support (the industry has one of the highest level of workers with no qualifications out of all Muka Tangata industries. Industry is looking to raise the skills of this group to better meet its needs, especially as health and safety have been key issues, and to provide better career pathways to sustain industry. |
The industry is currently redeveloping its training from levels 2 - 4. In the meantime, we propose a modest increase in the Level 2 New Zealand Certificate in Equine Skills due to the increasing levels of learners in this qualification and to support the raising of the workforces/' skills. The New Zealand Certificate in Equine Skills is an introductory qualification providing the equine industry with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to work safely and effectively around horses in the equine industry. | Priority | ||
| New Zealand Certificate in Assistant Trainer (Level 4) [4825] | 30 learners | The industry is working to redevelop training for its industry from Levels 2-4 to make it more fit for purpose and responsive to both employer and employee needs. A key aim is to strengthen career and skill development pathways. | Industry is developing a programme to deliver the new New Zealand Certificate in Assistant Trainer (Level 4). This qualification provides the equine racing industry with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to manage horses and oversee staff in racing stables. Graduates will be able to contribute effectively and professionally in a supervisory role in the equine racing industry. The new programme is expected to be available in 2025, but learner numbers are only expected to be approximately 30 learners. |
Priority |
| We have several qualifications with either low enrolment numbers or where any increase would be very small. These qualifications are still important for our industries, but we are not in a position to give a specific increase. We do not expect there to be large demand for these qualifications, but want to ensure that any extra enrolments are funded. We welcome discussion on any proposed delivery numbers that seem excessive. The qualifications are: |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
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Medium Priority |
Which specific qualifications and credentials do you want to see changes in?
As we note in our overarching advice, we have not been specific about mode at a qualification level. However, in general, we recommend a preference for workplace training as part of the mix of the provision across all of our industries. This could include both work-based training and campus-based learning that include a strong component of practical ‘on job’ experience in a workplace setting.