Equine careers information and advice for job seekers
There is often confusion surrounding employment status, with “Freelance Grooms” being treated as employees, and employees being made responsible for their own Income Tax and National Insurance. The legal ramifications can be detrimental to BOTH parties, so it’s essential that everyone is clear on the work agreement and arrangement they have.
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The appeal of a working life flitting from yard to yard, meeting many, many new horses (and people of course!) is understandable but is this perception realistic? This article attempts to give you an overview of freelance grooming – the ins and outs and pros and cons in a nutshell…
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Traditionally, New Year is THE key time to commit to making positive changes in your life! Your New Years Resolution might be to get a better-paid job, achieve a better work-life balance, acquire new skills, or generally get more job satisfaction. Looking at the New Year ahead, a blank canvas ready for you to make those changes, what can you do to achieve those career goals?
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New Year seems like a natural time to press the “refresh” button on our personal and professional lives, or even just a chance to take stock and stay as and where we are, but in a better way. We have all heard the cliché (which is a cliché for good reason), “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”. I read with interest that about 70% of us make New Year’s resolutions, but less than 8% will be kept beyond February/March! It’s not surprising to learn that the top resolutions will include things like losing weight, quitting smoking, managing debt etc. but, also importantly, resolutions focussing on careers and job choices are right up there too.
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Everyone likes to keep things simple, and sometimes gathering all the information needed before making decisions and acting on them can be time-consuming. With this in mind, The Grooms List team have put together a simple step-by-step guide to becoming an Apprentice Groom, from finding your Apprentice Groom vacancy to your options once you’ve gained your qualification.
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In April every year, at the end of one Tax Year and the start of the next, the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage increases. This is important for everyone in the equine industry – employers and employees alike. Equestrianism is a notoriously low-pay industry in terms of hourly salary, and salaries are frequently, if not always, topped up with extras, bonuses and tidbits. But in reality, how lawful are we in doing this without the advice and guidance of accountants and tax specialists? And what are the consequences of getting it wrong? The UK Government has strict laws regarding the minimum sum of money any individual can receive in return for work done and it can be confusing at least, a minefield at worst, when remunerating staff not just fairly, but legally too. In this article, we take a timely look, and research answers to basic questions for both employers and employees regarding the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage and to highlight common misconceptions within the equine industry regarding wages, remuneration packages and the law.
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The provision of accommodation with an equine job can be a grey area for both employers and employees, with so many varying arrangements from yard to yard and job role to job role. Get it wrong and at the very least an employer struggles to find and keep staff, the employee loses out on their salary entitlement and, worst case scenario, the employer and employee find themselves in very hot water. Here we attempt to put a complex matter into as simple terms as possible, regarding the provision of accommodation with a job, based on situations regularly seen within the equine industry.
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Since April 2017, it’s compulsory that all eligible employees receive a Workplace Pension as part of their employment contract, and this applies to grooms working in the equine industry. There is still a lot of confusion surrounding Workplace Pensions, who is eligible for one and who should be paying into one. So, what is a workplace pension? What does this mean? Who should expect to receive one? We have put together a simple guide to answer 10 common questions regarding Workplace Pensions in the equine industry
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As Great Britain leaves the European Union at 11pm on 31st January 2020 and “Brexit” dominates our news headlines, what can we expect within the equine industry? As an international recruitment agency, we place many British Grooms in jobs within the EU, and many EU citizens into jobs within Great Britain, so… what about information for Employers and Grooms in the equine industry?
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Not a lot of people realise that salaries in the horse racing industry are different to those of any other equine sector. Certain Minimum Wage and employment standards are agreed between the National Trainers Federation and the National Association of Racing Staff (Also known as “NARS”), and these set the horse racing industry apart from any other equine industry sector. Read on to find out more about working in the horse racing industry.
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Sometimes, making and accepting a job offer can be somewhat rushed and not treated with the formality it really does require. Whilst it’s a huge relief to have reached this stage, it is by no means the end of the process! There is still time for things to unravel and go wrong, and sometimes badly wrong, which it’s why it’s so important for both employers and job seekers to approach this stage with care and to put aside a little quality time to get it spot-on! Read our guidance on making and accepting a formal job offer…
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Offering and accepting a job offer can be a time of mixed emotions – happiness, relief, anxiety, and even confusion in some circumstances. But occasionally things go wrong when they’ve barely begun and the job offer is withdrawn. Where do employers and job seekers stand when a job offer/acceptance is withdrawn?
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Professional Groom Lucy Blain reflects on her role as a groom and considers the multi-faceted role she has played in the lives of her bosses and co-workers. Is anyone really “just a groom”?
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Incredibly, there are a remarkable number of admirable people who find working with horses all day, every day, isn’t quite enough. It is a truly a measure of a person’s dedication to an animal that, on top of what is widely considered a very demanding job, so many Grooms still choose to have their own horse(s) too. What does it take to successfully balance owning AND working with horses? How do Grooms do it?
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My name is Olivia Alstad. I’m a Canadian rider who moved to the UK to train and learn more about the sport of eventing. With no plan or education on the apprenticeship scheme, I made all the rookie errors! I’ve written an article to help you in your pursuit of a suitable apprenticeship, avoiding all the major mistakes that I made!
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You may not realise it, but Apprentice Grooms are always winning! Whether you’re a school-leaver looking to forge a successful career in the equine industry or an established groom who would like formal recognition of your abilities with qualifications, an equine apprenticeship will be an almost surefire way of achieving your goals…
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It’s National Apprenticeship Week 8th February – 14th February 2021 – a perfect time for grooms to explore the possibilities of gaining nationally recognised qualifications without having to take time out from work, and employers to consider expanding their team by taking on an apprentice groom! Why is this so important to the equine industry? Because the equine industry NEEDS you to! Before dismissing the idea of becoming or employing an apprentice, read our 5 reasons why the equine industry needs Apprentice Grooms…
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Every horse has the potential to become a success and just like athletes, it all comes down to training. One of the many great things about working with horses is the huge variety of jobs available to us. This week we look at the world of Pre-Training and what exactly a job on a yard like this involves.
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Understanding payslips is easier than you might think. From the 6th April 2019, it is an employee’s statutory right to receive a payslip, so it’s important that everyone understands them! Unless you are genned up on the ins and outs of gross salary, income tax, allowances, Workplace Pensions and National Insurance it may look like a confusing bunch of numbers, especially if you’re a worker receiving payslips for the first time. In this article we give you a basic guide to payslips, from who should be given payslips and why, through to understanding the various codes and figures.
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So often these days you hear of employers looking for grooms, and saying there are no ‘good grooms’ anymore, or that a ‘good groom’ is hard to find, or that grooms are getting lazier. So it begs the questions; IS it because they are lazy? Are the next generation of grooms coming through miss-educated or misinformed about what’s its really like to work in the equestrian industry? Do they have unrealistic expectations? Do employers have unrealistic expectations? Is the equestrian industry or job as a groom getting tougher? Guest blogger and professional groom Kate Harley gives her perspective.
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