Godolphin Flying Start courses and interviews move online for lockdown

Godolphin Flying Start trainees are continuing the course remotely due to the widespread lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Godolphin said it had taken the measure to protect the health of students, management, applicants and the communities in which they are all based.

Current first and second-year trainees are continuing their Graduate Certificate in Management and other modules by video conference and through online lectures and courses.

Clodagh Kavanagh, executive director of Godolphin Flying Start, said: “We have had to make some crucial decisions and adapt very quickly to the situation caused by Covid-19 in the past two weeks.

"Most of the trainees have returned to their home countries in Australasia, Europe, the US and Japan and they have shown their maturity and resilience in coping with the change in their learning environment.

"We are using technology to build our online community, stay engaged and deliver meaningful learning experiences as well as challenging assignments to the first and second trainees for the foreseeable future."

Kavanagh added: “The challenge has caused us to innovate and to discover new ways of doing things, some of which we intend to build on along with our traditional methods. Most importantly the trainees and the Flying Start team are in good health and are adhering to the best practice health protocols in their local areas at the moment.”

John Bourke, a second-year trainee who is self-isolating on Achill Island off the west coast of Ireland having returned home from Dubai, said: “If you told me two years ago that I would be completing some of the course on Achill Island I wouldn’t have believed you!

"But such are the times and thanks to modern day technology we have the ability to complete our lectures and even a Kildangan stallion show all online. It’s been a completely different experience being away from my fellow trainees which is tough, but we are all in contact with each other on a daily basis.”

Lowri Allen, a first-year trainee who travelled from Kentucky to her family home in Gloucestershire, added: “While the programme is being delivered remotely, I'm looking forward to working with and learning about new technologies, such as Microsoft Teams and overcoming the challenge of working effectively on group projects with the other trainees, despite us now being in several different countries and time zones.

"It’s a challenging time for all involved in the thoroughbred industry, but hopefully, by following government guidance and protocols, the spread and impact of Covid-19 will be minimised.”

Interviews of candidates for this year's Godolphin Flying Start intake and the final selection meeting will continue to take place and will be conducted by video conference.

“We've completed 2020 interviews for the US and UK-based candidates using videoconferencing and we will also use the facility for the Australian interviewees," Kavanagh said.

"At the moment we plan to commence the programme as usual at Kildangan in August 2020. This is subject to the Covid-19 status and protocols around the world closer to that time.

"The selection meeting for the class of 2020 is at the end of April.”

Godolphin Flying Start is a two-year, full-time management and leadership training programme that specialises in the international thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.

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