When we heard our great friends at Open Projects Group (OPG) were the chosen contractors to complete the massive upgrade to the stabling facilities for our partners at Gold Coast Turf Club (GCTC), we knew it was a fantastic opportunity to bring our young people together from both industries.
General Manager at OPG, Jodie Wood, arranged for our Rookies to tour the construction site and to hear all about the exciting redevelopment. OPG have taken around 15 school-based apprentices from the AITC over the years, working alongside the AITC to shape and guide the next generation of tradespeople. It was awesome to see a couple of our current school-based apprentices and alumni working on site during the tour. The new state of the art facility will hold 300 horses and will include 15 barns (each barn will include 20 boxes, 1 x feed room, 1 x tack room, 4 x tie-ups and 2 x wash bays), 8 x 10 horse walkers and 2 x treadmill areas (featuring multiple treadmills). These facilities will be utilised in the future by many of our Equine Academy young people built by their peers in the construction industry.
The day also included an insightful tour of the GCTC facilities, led by Jane (memberships manager), Mitch (Race-Caller), Tiana (Event Co-ordinator) and Craig (Food and Beverage Manager). This gave our Rookies a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how the club runs and the many careers available under one roof. We also met head chef, Jason, and looked inside one of their many kitchens that can pump out high-end food by the thousands on a bustling race-day.
A thoroughly enjoyable day — thankyou to all involved for continuing to provide these experiences for our young people.
Click here to find out more about this incredible project.
