Taoiseach Presents Awards and Certificates to Teagasc Horticulture Graduates
14 November 2005
Awards and certificates were presented to 88 graduates of Teagasc's amenity horticulture courses by An Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, TD, at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin today (Monday, November 14th, 2005).
The 42 graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, who were conferred last Friday at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, (ITB), received awards from the Taoiseach. They had completed a three-year horticulture course, based in the Botanic Gardens, and provided in collaboration with ITB. These graduates will go into employment in a variety of sectors of horticulture, including design, landscaping, parks management, garden centres and greenkeeping.
Certificates were presented to 46 students who completed one-year courses in Horticulture Levels 4, 5 and 6 and floristry.
Pamela Murphy, a graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, received the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture medallion for the best performance on the horticultural course.
The presentation was followed by a reception in the magnificently-restored Palm House, which has been recently replanted.
The Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, in co-operation with the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, the National Botanic Gardens, the National Parks, Dublin and County Parks Authorities, FAS and commercial horticultural enterprises, provides courses in a wide range of horticultural areas. At any time, upwards of 350 students are on courses based in the Gardens, where they contribute to the work of the Gardens as part of their practical training. They also are allocated work placements in various enterprises and institutions in Ireland and abroad during their training. The courses are FETAC or HETAC accredited.
"These courses combine science, business and art and have a very successful rate of employment uptake because they cover such a wide range of activities," Dr Paul Cusack, Principal of the college, says. "We get a good mix of both mature students and school leavers and we have a fairly even gender mix."
