How Can OEEEP Help Your Horse Business?

The Ontario Equine Education and Employment Program (OEEEP) has been educating students and matching them with suitable employers since 2022. Created by the Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA) in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and supported by Equine Guelph, this important program is absolutely free to participants, who take a six-week interactive training course taught by industry experts specializing in horse health, grooming, management and welfare. Assistance in finding a relevant job in the horse industry is offered upon completion of the course; employers enrolled in the program have the chance to receive a 50% rebate of their employees’ wages for up to 18 weeks/$5,000 while their new hires continue to learn valuable skills on the job.

One of the architects of this initiative is Gayle Ecker, longtime director of Equine Guelph. Her leadership, vision and dedication for the past 20 years was recognized recently when she was presented with a King Charles III Coronation Medal for her significant contribution to providing education, research and health care knowledge within the horse industry.

Gayle Ecker. (Equine Guelph/Red Suitcase Photography)

Ecker outlined Equine Guelph’s involvement through running the online course and supporting student learning. “As a leader in online education at multiple levels and for different audiences from youth to adult, from beginner to professional, Equine Guelph has been offering online courses for the equine industry to Canada and beyond since 2002,” she explained. “OHHA is a member of our Advisory Council and has been very supportive of our education programs since the start of Equine Guelph. Equine Guelph had previously worked with OHHA on a basic groom program and other educational programming, so when this opportunity arrived, Equine Guelph was very interested in stepping up to help, as we are well aware of the challenges for employers to find help, but also we are aware how difficult it can be for many people to get started in the horse industry.”

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While the OEEEP courses at Equine Guelph provide students with the tools they need for rewarding careers with horses, it is the employers – breeding farms, boarding stables, racing operations – who are a vital part of the equation. To employers who might be hesitant to sign up and participate in the program, Ecker said, “This is a great opportunity to bring new people to our horse industry, which we really need! Giving a pathway to someone that wants to be a part of our equine industry is an important role for all of us to keep our industry strong. The horse industry requires good grooms, caretakers, and many other positions to continue to build back our industry after the many challenges of the past five years. Taking on a student and mentoring them so they can find a pathway of knowledge and opportunity is a great way to actively contribute back to the industry that has been an important part of our lives for so many.”

She continued, “There are many benefits that employers can and have seen when they take on a student for mentoring. As we know, the hands-on participation for a newcomer in the industry is so important and our students learn this as they participate in the placement as experienced employers share their knowledge for health, welfare and safety. In recognition of being a mentor, the employer can qualify for the wage subsidy. At the end of the mentorship time, the employer has first chance at hiring the student they have been mentoring, and this has worked out beautifully for several employers and their students! With expansion, this program can be a critical link to ongoing and future employment needs of our industry.”

Ecker has received plenty of positive comments about the OEEEP program over the years. “We have had some wonderful feedback from both employers and the students. Comments of ‘I now have my dream job!’, ‘I never knew how great this can be!’ and many others have come back from our students. The comments from the employers who have hired on our students reflect the value of having a new employee that is trained in their stable and fits into the team.”

The current program will be ending in a few months and will hopefully be renewed after the Provincial election, “but we hope very much that it can be offered again for our industry, as it is providing a pathway into the industry and linking with the employers who will benefit from this as well,” noted Ecker. While there are not any employer workshops currently scheduled, the last one was recorded and is available on the OEEEP website, along with other useful information, here.

Individuals interested in taking the OEEEP training program can sign up here and be put on a waiting list to be notified when the next program becomes available.