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Are you interested in coming to a Teagasc College?

Are you interested in coming to a Teagasc College?

Interested in pursuing a career in the land and agri-food sector? Have you considered applying for a course at a Teagasc college? Teagasc colleges offer a wide array of full-time and part-time courses in agriculture, horticulture, equine, forestry and more. Sign up & Join our March Virtual Open Days

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the land and agri-food sector?  Have you considered applying for a course at a Teagasc college?  

Teagasc colleges offer a wide array of full-time and part-time courses in areas such as agriculture, horticulture, equine, forestry and more, and throughout the month of March we’ll be inviting you to join us for our virtual open days. During these open days you’ll get the opportunity to ask the lecturers your questions and view superb behind the scenes footage from the colleges.  There will also be the opportunity to hear and learn from past and current students of the colleges.

Sign up for your chosen college open day today at www.teagasc.ie/collegeopendays

If you are still undecided as to why you should attend a Teagasc college, we’ve compiled six reasons below why you should consider it:

No 1 in the Market

The vast majority of school leavers seeking full-time Level 5 and 6 agricultural courses enrol in Teagasc programmes.   The Teagasc college network is unrivalled in the depth of knowledge and expertise it can draw on to support your education. Teagasc is at the cutting edge of research and knowledge transfer for the land based and agri-food sector. 

Highly specialised agricultural education facilities 

The colleges in the Teagasc network have substantial farm land and physical resources at their disposal for practical instruction and demonstration of commercial farming. The total combined area farmed at colleges amounts to just over 1,000 hectares and includes over 1,200 dairy cows, almost 300 suckler (beef) cows, 1,000 ewes and close to 100 hectares of tillage. Our colleges also have an extensive range of farm machinery, equipment, and modern workshops for practical teaching purposes.  Teagasc also partners with over 90 private commercial farms known as ‘Education Benchmark Farms’.

‘Hands on’  education and training

For our full-time courses, teaching and learning is split about 50:50 between classroom and outdoor practical instruction. Our practical instruction classes allow mutual interaction to develop between tutors and students in a ‘hands on’ learning environment.  As a full-time student you will spend time away from the college on a host farm.  Our students value the real life experience gained on one of our network of over 1,000 registered host farms.

Access to Teagasc Research and Knowledge Transfer Network

Teagasc course content is aligned to research findings and up to date research farms have been developed at a number of colleges. There are also specialised resources and facilities at Teagasc’s two horticultural colleges to enable hands-on learning for horticultural students  and likewise for the equine and forestry programmes at the relevant college.

Opportunities for education and career progression

Teagasc educates people for careers both within and outside of their own farm gate.  Graduates of Teagasc agricultural programmes may seek employment as farm managers or herd managers.  Others seek opportunities in the wider agri-service sector and in some cases combine this with part-time farming.  Teagasc colleges partner with many Institutes of Technology for CAO listed Level 7 and 8 land sector degrees programmes.   Substantial elements of these programmes are delivered in situ at agricultural colleges. Teagasc also partners with University College Dublin and University College Cork for selected programmes.  

And it’s not all work and no play

Learning occurs at many levels not just in classroom or field.   Making new friends, trying new experiences, participating in activities and having fun all add to the learning experiences.  Many students remain in contact with each other long after they graduate though direct contact and social media groups and share problems and solutions as they take up farming themselves. 

Don’t just take our word for it, see what others have to say

Daniel Monaghan is currently completing the Level 5 Certificate in Forestry at Teagasc Ballyhaise College.  Daniel remembers walking around his home forest in Tyrone and realising that if he had the skills, he could change his life and spend more time in nature. 

Gwen Browne from Tullow, Co. Carlow is a current student at Teagasc Kildalton College studying a Level 5 in Horsemanship. Gwen is currently completing her college classes and academic work online and while she is studying, she is able to keep a part time job as a work rider in Jessica Harrington’s yard. Gwen says that she did not think she could enjoy studying as much as she is, and feels what she is learning in Kildalton can be applied practically to her work in the industry . Gwen was also the first of our students to contribute towards a blog outlining a day in the life of a Kildalton Equine Student. 

Padraig Cunnane completed a Certificate in Agriculture and Farm Administration at Mountbellew Agricultural College.  Padraig is from Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, but through a share-milking arrangement has been able to realise his dream of milking 150 cows in West Cork. Padraig acknowledges that the host farmers he encountered while on work placement from Mountbellew were an inspiration and encouragement to him to continue his studies. Padraig is current chairperson of the Irish Farm Managers Association.

 

Emma Rafferty is a greenkeeper at New Forest Golf Club, Co. Westmeath and in September 2019 enrolled in the part-time Sportsturf Science and Management Course with the College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens.  Emma found that although she had plenty of practical experience already going into the course that she went back to work each week with so much more confidence and eager to learn more. Emma hopes to one day manage a golf course.

Register Today!

The Teagasc College Open Days take place virtually this year, throughout the month of March and will include; the application process; course content and elective subjects; progression; student maintenance grants and work experience arrangements.

Register today at www.teagasc.ie/collegeopendays