Careers in the Horse Racing Industry

We can’t all be Frankie Dettori or Rachael Blackmore, but there are many different roles in the racing industry including becoming a jockey, of course, that could be a realistic goal and end up in a thoroughly gratifying and inspiring career.

Why horse racing?
The horse racing industry supports over 85,000 jobs in the UK and is the nation’s 2nd largest spectator sport after football, but the nation’s largest sporting employer. It also attracts 5 million people to the country’s many racecourses each year. There are a wide variety of roles associated with the industry across a huge array of organisations and the industry is vibrant, diverse, exciting and fast-paced, providing employment opportunities galore. Whether you would like to get involved in events management, training, veterinary care, looking after racehorses, jockeying or behind the scenes work the industry can provide wonderful career opportunities.

Apprenticeship
A variety of organisations offer apprenticeships, including the National Horseracing College, The National Stud and The British Racing School. Details of the latter are given as an example below.

The British Racing School delivers an excellent apprenticeship in Racehorse Care nationwide. The Foundation Apprenticeship is free and guarantees successful candidates a job in racing. It is compulsory for anyone under the age of 19 seeking to enter the racing industry. The course includes:

A residential Foundation Course
A work placement in a racing yard
Key skills development
In terms of duration it is 9-12 weeks and on successful completion of studies the apprenticeship itself takes around 1 year to achieve, during which you will be placed in a yard and assessed on your work.

Online resources
Careersinracing.com is managed by the British Horseracing Authority and is a superb place for information on careers in the racing industry. There are recruitment initiatives and marketing campaigns promoting careers in racing as well as advertised pathways for those seeking to get into a career in racing. They also have a ‘jobs board’ which processes in excess of 1000 hobs every year!

Specific careers in racing
The racing world is such that there are a huge range of potential careers that are associated with the sport including but not limited to:

Riding and jockeying

Grooming
Training
Handling
Stewarding
Marketing
Journalism
Event Managing
Agenting
Ground-staffing
Obviously, the route into some of these (like marketing, journalism and event management) might see you come from an institution not affiliated with the racing industry. Some of these careers, however, have paths unique to the sport. Let’s look at a couple of notable examples.

Stud Groom
This role involves looking after the horses, including feeding, exercising and liaising with vets and farriers. You will be involved in attending to mares and foals during and after foaling and maintaining stud records, to name but a few of your many duties.

Work Rider
This role involves exercising and schooling racehorses to get them to race fitness. The skill level here is high and the role involves gauging a horse’s fitness and agility levels as well as their preferred ground. Pay depends on experience and it is a very satisfying role to get involved in.

Careers after mba

TOP CAREERS AFTER AN MBA Banking & Finance
Individuals interested in Security & Investment Analysis/Portfolio Management can go for jobs in Banks, Security Firms, Insurance Companies etc. Corporate Treasury, Business Operations and Credit Analysis are some of the job profiles available in this sector.

Transaction Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Compliance, and Credit Relationship Management are some other areas in Banking that MBA graduates can explore.

Cognizant Business Consulting, KPMG, PwC, Credit Swiss, HDFC Bank etc. are some companies that are popular for hiring in this sector.

Marketing
Marketing jobs are available in almost all the sectors like Retail, Banking, Hospitality, Media, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) etc.

An exciting array of roles are available such as Brand Manager, Marketing Manager, Product Manager, Market Research Analyst, Media Planner, PR Manager, Digital Marketer etc.

In the Marketing sector, individuals are expected to promote the company’s products, define a product positioning strategy, understand distribution channels, reach new customers and retain old ones.

Digital Marketing Manager is a new profile that has become extremely popular with the advent of the internet and social media channels like Facebook, Instagram etc. Some of the tasks entail pay per click marketing, search engine optimization etc.

Some of the popular companies that hire in this field are Tata Consultancy Services, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Vodafone, Amazon etc. Sales
A career in Sales revolves around designing the Sales Strategy, Setting Goals keeping the budget in mind, leading the sales team, analyzing Sales Data, setting targets for different territories, and predicting revenue and profits. A fresh MBA Graduate may have to start from the lower end of the spectrum but with experience, he can rise to senior positions. With regular incentives and commissions on the achievement of targets, it is one of the most lucrative career choice.

in Operations
MBA in Operations is an extremely valued specialization across all industries, including Telecom, IT, and E-Commerce. Job titles include Supply Chain Manager, Logistics Manager, Inventory Control Manager, Project Managers, and Operations Manager.

MBAs in Operations are usually hired for looking after responsibilities related to Supply Chain, Vendor, and Inventory Management, Sales Operations, and Production Management. They are also given charge of Delivery, Fulfillment, and Returns.

Popular companies in India include Amazon, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Airtel, TVS Motor Company, and Deloitte

Technology
An MBA program in Technology usually covers topics such as Emerging Technologies, Sustainability, Biotechnology and Clinical Technology.

Technology Managers keep up with fast-changing technology developments and innovations. They understand products and services and look for new ideas that will thrive in the market.

Some of the job profiles are Information Systems Managers, Systems Analysts, and Chief Technology Officers, Data Processing Manager, Business Analyst etc.

IBM, BAE Systems, United Technologies Corporation, Lowe’s Companies, and Atmel Corporation are among popular companies that hire in this space.

in Human Resource Management
Human Resources Managers act as a bridge between employees and employers. They design organization policies and take care of employee benefits and payroll. They also ensure that organizational HR policies follow ever-changing government laws.

A career in Banking & Finance

Since the MBA graduates are exposed to all aspects of business namely Operations, Logistics, Finance, Sales etc., they are well equipped to get straight into Entrepreneurship. The last decade has seen the rise of umpteen startups in India which have changed the entrepreneurship landscape completely. Flipkart, Snapdeal, Zomato are some of the popular examples that have done extremely well in a short span of time.

Entrepreneurship
Individuals interested in Security & Investment Analysis/Portfolio Management can go for jobs in Banks, Security Firms, Insurance Companies etc. Corporate Treasury, Business Operations and Credit Analysis are some of the job profiles available in this sector.

Transaction Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Compliance, and Credit Relationship Management are some other areas in Banking that MBA graduates can explore.

Cognizant Business Consulting, KPMG, PwC, Credit Swiss, HDFC Bank etc. are some companies that are popular for hiring in this sector

Teaching
If you are inclined towards academics, teaching in MBA colleges is a very good option. One can also get involved with research and pursue PhD. This can open many more avenues such as – Contributing Research Papers to Academic Journals, Writing / Editing Academic books etc.

Careers in Fashion

Fashion designers are rising stars, looming brighter and more visible in the public eye than ever before. Maybe one can thank the popularity of Project Runway, because in our celebrity-driven culture, fashion designers have definitely made their mark and continue to color our world with beauty.There are lot of Fashion Designing Institutes in Pune but INIFD Deccan is most famous for fashion & Interior.

Fashion designers are the creative force behind every piece of clothing you see on the market. Some fashion designers work for large retailers, such as Shoppers Stop or Wal-Mart. Designers who are successful evolve into creating their own label and sell their designs both on a large retail scale and to private and exclusive clients.

The designer visualizes a new piece of clothing and works through the entire process from concept to the actual making of the garment. Most designers specialize in one particular area, such as sportswear, evening gowns, bridal, kids, etc. Some designers actually make the patterns necessary to sew a sample garment, but others employ the services of a pattern maker.

Most designers create their own sketches by hand, but some use computer-aided design (CAD), which has increasingly become more popular. By using CAD programs, the designer can create a three-dimensional or virtual model. Perhaps you’ve seen an example of one of these models online. For example, the catalog company Lands End has a great virtual model built for the consumer. You define parameters such as height, weight, hair color, skin tone, etc., to create your very own personal model to fit your figure dimensions. After your virtual model is designed, you can proceed to try on clothes from the catalog and get an idea as to what the specific outfits will look like on your body type. Go to www.landsend.com to give it a try.

Designers constantly research fashion trends and are aware of what is in right now, as well as what may be hot in the future. They obtain reports or rely on industry professionals who project future trends, colors, fabrics, and styles. But with all of this in mind, it’s the designers who take risks and create unique pieces that become the next hot trend. The designer creates or sketches out an original design, which is used to produce an actual garment. A fit model is often hired to work with the designer who will make adjustments. After final alterations have been made, originals are sewn.

Designers who build a line for a company may need to travel extensively and internationally. They work with factories and are involved throughout the manufacturing process. A lot of raw materials and manufacturing plants are located outside the country, and travel is necessary to view and select materials or supervise production.

For many professionals in the fashion business, building a portfolio is key. You must also be able to produce samples of your designs. You should also have an artistic edge and an eye for color, fabric, and style. It is of great value to be able to sketch well because that is the heart of how designs go from concept to actual product. Basic skills such as sewing or pattern making are necessary, as well as technical skills such as CAD programs, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. As with many creative careers, the outlook for this career is strong. As fashion continuously evolves, there will always be the need for new designs, trends, and styles. Original designs help keep fashion alive, thriving, and ever changing.

A bachelor’s college degree or a professional certificate course, in fashion design is highly recommended. There are designers who get started in this career on the basis of talent and dedication or who work their way up from an intern or apprentice. Successful independent designers employ a number of people and often manufacture their garments.

Prospects and Outlook
The fashion industry is huge. There are always companies hiring people to work for them in many areas and that are buying licenses from other designers. They need people to design those products. If you’re someone coming out of high school, I would start a part-time internship in an important company. They are always looking for people to take internships. They always need help, and, as a result, you can have a big name on your résumé. From there, you can start building up your experience.

Advice for Anyone Starting Out…

As far as starting a line, that can be done anywhere, as long as you are willing to travel at some point for trade shows. Today, the Internet being what it is, there are so many barriers removed on where one has to be. My best advice is to study those that are the very best in your field. Find out what they did and where they went, see if you can get a mentor, or intern with a company you respect and admire. Be observant of what is going on around you, sharpen up all the time, be very persistent, and, most of all, follow your gut—it is never wrong.

Final Words of Wisdom
Follow your dream. Do only what you believe in, no matter what anyone tells you, and the rest will come. Network as much as you can, and be nice to everyone. The scrawny kid you meet in class or on the job one day could be the next Versace tomorrow.