Closed
Request for Quote: Thoroughbred breeding industry workforce strategy
Tender ID: 595590
Tender Details
Organisation:
Tender #:
-
Status:
Closed
Publish Date:
23 September 2025
Closing Date:
20 October 2025
Closing Time:
01:00 PM (Australia/NSW)
Tender Description
Background
The Australian thoroughbred breeding industry is worth an estimated $1.68 billion to the Australian economy and is the second largest in the world. AgriFutures invests the thoroughbred breeding levy in high-impact research, development and extension (RD&E) that improves the sustainability, productivity and competitiveness of the Australian thoroughbred industry. The levy is set at a rate of $10 per mare covered per season, paid by the stallion owner and $10 per mare returned per season, paid by the broodmare owner.
The Australian thoroughbred breeding industry provides full time employment for over 9,000 people, predominantly in rural and regional areas, which presents challenges in terms of recruitment and career pathways. While there are several educational programs offered by the industry designed for individuals at all career stages, attraction and retention of workforce remains a challenge. The key challenges include:
- Labour shortages in hands-on roles
- Lack of clear career pathways and training opportunities
- Seasonal workforce demands
- Retention and attraction of domestic workers
- Reliance on temporary or international labour
- Limited visibility and awareness of the industry as a career option
- Mismatch between government role classifications and industry self-identification
This Request for Quote is seeking a provider to develop an evidence-based and stakeholder-informed workforce strategy for the thoroughbred breeding industry. The proposed workforce strategy aims to deliver actionable recommendations and a roadmap to address industry challenges in alignment with its priorities and broader initiatives such as the National Agricultural Workforce Strategy.
The key activities undertaken by the successful provider will include:
- Conduct an analysis of the current workforce profile including size, composition, and skills within the thoroughbred breeding industry, as well as demographics.
- Conduct workforce scoping and role identification, including critical role pathways, and Workforce Classification Framework beyond Horse Breeder and Horse Trainer, with the aim of developing a comprehensive role framework covering all of the job titles that are recognised by those within the industry.
- Identify workforce gaps, challenges and future needs.
- Review of the education programs available in Thoroughbred Breeding (accredited and non-accredited) and adjacent subject specialties, as well as mapping VET qualifications, RTOs and school programs offering relevant equine courses in Australia in terms of geographical locations, delivery, enrolment, completion, eligibility and opportunities after graduation, and ideally the success rate of conversion into industry employees.
- Review the current training and career pathway opportunities and barriers in the thoroughbred breeding industry and adjacent sectors, including an analysis of the traineeship status in each state around relevant qualifications and funding incentive schemes available for the different stakeholders.
- Identify and capture stakeholder workforce priorities, risks, and opportunities.
- Identify strategies, partnerships, and potential policy changes to attract and develop a sustainable workforce.
- Identify opportunities for migration/migrant workforce integration.
- Uncover and articulate the unique value proposition of employment in the thoroughbred breeding industry—including lifestyle, regional community benefits, transferable skills, career progression, and international pathways—and provide measurable recommendations on how best to package and market these strengths to future workers.
- Identify strategic opportunities to leverage the industry’s natural appeal to underrepresented groups – to enhance attraction, participation, career progression, and retention across the sector, as well as strengthening its relevance for policymakers and contributing positively to the industry’s social license.