Schools project to increase employability in the european equestrian market (SPINE) Erasmus Project

Project Title

Schools project to increase employability in the european equestrian market (SPINE)

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Pedagogy and didactics; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Within the European equine sector different vocational education and training systems are mainly focused on preparation for the labour market in respective country. In those educational systems the students gain expertise and social and methodical competences for their work in the equine sector of their country. The globalization makes the labour market for equine professionals wider. This leads to young people needing to enhance their employability by obtaining the knowledge, skills and competences demanded in an international labour market. This is not delivered enough in the national education systems.

The purpose of the project SPINE was to close the gap in the educational pathway of future professionals. Beside this SPINE aimed to create experience nuggets within a European labour market to make the participants aware of the possibilities within the European Union.

The 9 project partners, who are all major stakeholders in the equestrian vocational education and training in their country, have together reached the objectives of SPINE. We developed the Extra Qualification (EQ) and its educational pathway. The project partners identified and defined the needed knowledge, skills, and competences for young professionals in the European equestrian labour market. As a result, we developed an education for acquiring the needed learning outcomes and specified it in a joined curriculum of the EQ.

The subjects of the EQ are Horse Welfare, Principles of training and riding, Riders Performance, Cultural and Social understanding, Language and Communication, Methodology and Didactics, Business and Management, Social media – Self marketing – Multimedia and Laws and Regulations.

In addition to the Curriculum we developed learning material for all subjects of the EQ to use in the education. To tie the learning material to the Curricula a Guideline Manual of the EQ was created. This to ensure all future candidates of the EQ will be given the same education to obtain the knowledge, skills and competences needed to succeed, indifferent in what school or country.

The outcome of SPINE, the Extra Qualification, will be offered at all project partners schools in educational modules. During their EQ education, the candidates will go through three modules, all in different countries, given by schools within the Equestrian Educational Network (EEN). The last module (3) is followed directly by an EQ Exam. The aim of this approach is to create a learning environment, which delivers the needed knowledge, skills and competences together with the needed experiences of foreign countries.

The EQ Exam is organised in direct connection to Module 3, in the same place. All schools organising the EQ Modules and Exam will use the Curriculum, Guideline Manual, Learning Material, and Instructions of the Exam.

Having passed the EQ Exam the candidate will receive an EQ Certificate. This can be added to the merits of the candidate and increase the possibility to get employment abroad. For employers, this certificate will be an evidence that the candidate is well prepared for acting in the international labour market. The EQ Certificate is in the process to be approved by the International Group for Equestrian Qualifications (IGEQ), and when approved the candidate can get an EQ Stamp in her/his IGEQ Passport.

In the activities of the SPINE project 21 teachers from the project partner schools participated and all worked together to create the EQ. In addition to the teachers each school also had one student each participating in the Learning, Teaching and Training activities to test the first EQ education. The students went through the education and took the final Exam. They cooperated actively in evaluating and enhancing the quality of the EQ together with the teachers. All students were in the process at obtaining IGEQ level 2 at their home school.

The impact is that the learning outcome of the EQ provides key competences needed to enable the transition of students and equestrian professionals to be available for different positions as employees or entrepreneurs in the international equestrian labour market. Thereby the EQ creates increased opportunities for professional development and larger possibilities of entering an international career path. Strengthening and practicing the key competences should be possible for all young professionals. The EQ gives access to training and qualification on European level for students and professionals in the equestrian sector. This benefits not only the candidates themselves but will also have long term benefits for all encountering them in their continued career: students, employers, colleagues and horses. Increasing common knowledge and skills in horse welfare, social and cultural understanding and opportunities in the equestrian labour market.

The effect of SPINE will be developing European professionals within the equestrian sector, who will be employable all over the world.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 189171 Eur

Project Coordinator

Flyinge AB & Country: SE

Project Partners

• INSTITUT FRANCAIS DU CHEVAL ET DE L EQUITATION
• Stiftelsen Norsk Hestesenter
• GO! Atheneum Martinus Bilzen
• Escola Nacional de Equitação
• Hevosopisto Oy (Ypäjä Equine College Ltd)
• Ridskolan Strömsholm AB
• Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e.V. Bundesverband für Pferdesport und Pferdezucht – Federation Equestre Nationale (FN)