Cover image courtesy of Silverdale Farm
Nestled in the picturesque Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Silverdale Academy stands as a beacon of progress in equine education. Founded with a mission to bridge the employment gap in the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry, the academy offers a suite of educational programs designed to nurture the next generation of industry leaders.
From its flagship Equine Internship to the innovative School Careers Day, Silverdale Academy provides hands-on learning experiences that cover the entire lifecycle of the horse, from birth to racing and beyond.
With the addition of their new Leadership Program, Silverdale Academy is set to further cement its role as a pivotal institution in the equine sector. This program, in collaboration with TAFE NSW, aims to equip participants with crucial leadership skills, ensuring they are ready to take on roles such as foremen in stables and breeding farms. Participants will recieve an accredited leadership qualification called the Statement of Attainment for Emerging Leaders in the Equine Industry.
Silverdale Academy's Leadership Program
“The Silverdale Academy runs three programs; Equine Internship, School Careers Day and one week Schools Internship and now we are adding a Leadership Program with registrations open now.
“The two upcoming programs will run at Warwick Farm racecourse from August 20 to 23, and at Silverdale Farm from September 10 to 13,” said Danielle Tiller, General Manager, Silverdale Academy.
Danielle Tiller | Image courtesy of Silverdale Academy
“We’ve designed this program to help people who are or want to move up into a foreman role at a stable or on a breeding farm. Participants will learn leadership skills around time management, how to have difficult conversations with staff, communication through cultural issues, and other leadership skills.
“The Silverdale Academy have received valuable input from industry to help us contextualise leadership in a large stable environment and this knowledge will feed into the course. We believe the course will help thoroughbred breeding and racing industry businesses retain staff as they invest in people’s careers and growth.”
“We’ve designed this (Leadership) program to help people who are or want to move up into a foreman role at a stable or on a breeding farm. Participants will learn leadership skills around time management, how to have difficult conversations with staff, communication through cultural issues, and other leadership skills.” - Danielle Tiller
The three-day workshop covers leadership priorities, communication and team dynamics in the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. It is a face-to-face workshop program supported by webinar tutorials, providing opportunity for discovery, interaction, reflection and mastery in supervision and leadership. Like Silverdale Academy’s other programs, the workshop includes presentations from industry participants.
Support the Silverdale Academy
“To sustain our courses, we rely on the invaluable support of industry partners. We firmly believe that investing in education yields significant returns for the industry through the creation of skilled and employable graduates.
“Currently, Silverdale Academy operates not for profit and relies on NSW Government funding and industry volunteers.
“Steve Grant (owner of Silverdale Farm) is unwavering in his dedication and passion for supporting filling the employment gap in the industry as well as providing young and disadvantaged individuals strong career opportunities. This is what drives our mission. His commitment is a testament to his great love for the industry and his desire to make a meaningful impact.”
Steve Grant presenting to students | Image courtesy of Silverdale Academy
The Silverdale Academy is self-funded and continues to apply for government grant funding to make these programs affordable.
“We get wonderful support from industry individuals speaking to our interns, Inglis who kindly supply accommodation for our teacher and assist student, and the ATC who supply the training room, and now we are reaching out to ask people to send an email of support to assist our Government funding application. It would go a long way to keep the wheels turning.”
Please email your support to dtiller@silverdalefarm.com.au and it will be compiled into their grant applications.
Who is Silverdale Farm?
Silverdale Farm is located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and is owned by Steve and Eliza Grant. The farm has had another successful season, with graduates such as G2 Percy Sykes S. winner Eneeza (Exceed And Excel), G3 Carbine Club S. winner Kaizad (Capitalist), G2 Sweet Embrace S.-placed Extreme Diva (Extreme Choice), all performing this season on the track.
“Initially the Silverdale Academy was started by Steve to try and get courses down this way. Most of the industry’s education programs are in Scone, and we saw a need for similar opportunities in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands region.
“Our core program is the six-week Intern Program which is designed for people with minimal equine experience who want to learn about horses and the breeding and racing industry. It’s a robust format with a five-week online program with TAFE NSW and is supported by a TAFE teacher, and then participants do a practical week either at Silverdale Farm or at Warwick Farm with the support of the Australian Turf Club.
Students working in class in a Silverdale Academy program | Image courtesy of Silverdale Academy
“The benefit to the industry is that this program gives graduates an overview of the whole industry, the whole lifecycle of the horse from birth through to racing and beyond.
“We have talks from people at all parts of the industry, such as farriers, vets, media, Inglis’ marketing team, and we do tours through all different facilities, from stables to veterinary clinics, the judges box, breeding farms, even barrier trials and track work. The program that coincides with the Inglis Classic Sales is a really exciting week as graduates get behind the scenes access.”
“The benefit to the industry is that this program gives graduates an overview of the whole industry, the whole lifecycle of the horse from birth through to racing and beyond.” - Daniella Tiller
Silverdale Academy's other programs
The Intern Program outcomes are designed to introduce students to the career opportunities within the breeding, racing or other sectors of the horse industry. Graduates gain several qualifications through the program, such as ACMEQU313 (Work safely in equine workplaces).
The summer program coincides with the Inglis Classic sale, so participants gain an understanding of how the sales process works and the different jobs that people do around yearling sales.
Jemma graduated from the program in February and quickly gained employment with Paul and Martha Cave Racing at Warwick Farm. She strapped her first winner, 3-year-old filly La Belle Claire (Highland Reel {Ire}), on June 27 at Kembla Grange.
“I am so lucky to be a graduate of such an amazing program. It has helped me so much in entering the racing industry. I have the best job, and it is a job like no other. It is definitely worth waking up for at 2:30 am every morning and is a very rewarding job and industry to be a part of,” said Jemma.
“We run another program with school students, especially for kids who aren’t necessary aspiring to be academics,” said Tiller. “The schools program is great because most kids don’t even realise that this industry exists and what jobs racing offers people. There are so many pathways in this industry too, for anyone who starts out. There are so many great opportunities for people. We had one young man, Harrison, who wasn’t engaged at school who did a work experience with Mitch Beer, and he moved into full time employment with Beer. He’s just thriving now.”
“Participants of our Intern Program come out of it with an accredited qualification and if we can keep getting government and industry funding it won’t cost the participants or employers anything.
“We’ve recently been contacted by Youth Off The Streets (a charity that supports young youth) and we are looking at ways we can work with them to create a careers day to teach young people about the industry.
“We’ve also have commenced conversations with Back To Bush (“a non-profit social enterprise focused on promoting grassroots issues outside of the metropolitan bubble”) to help give opportunities for young people with trauma or social issues. The research shows that working with animals really helps people from disadvantaged and traumatic backgrounds.
“We collect all the data on our graduates and we follow up on them as they get into employment in the industry. We connect them with the industry, and most importantly we don’t leave them when they graduate. We nurture their careers and try to connect them to the industry going forward.
“This is how we know that our graduates are absolutely flying.
“At the end of the program, everyone who graduates knows what they want – I want to be a bloodstock agent, I want to work in a racing stable, I want to be in admin or marketing, I want to work on a farm. It’s incredibly satisfying.”
How to register for the Leadership Program
Registrations for the leadership program are open now.
“We are currently working on developing an Equine Veterinarian short course to fill the gap in skills for those entering the equine veterinarian industry who have horse skills.”
Send your emails of support, register your employees, and let's keep this valuable resource going for our industry.
