Dave Moloney - Green Cert student experience
“My only regret is that I didn’t do it years ago!” says Dave Moloney, Co Cork about the Teagasc part-time Level 6 Specific Purpose Certificate in Farming course, which he completed at Teagasc Macroom. Dave, who won 2021 Teagasc Student of the Year Competition, talks about his "Green Cert" course
Pictured above: Dave Moloney with his dad Tim and mother Nellie. Photo: Mark Moore
- Student: Dave Moloney, Kilanetig West, Ballinadee, Bandon, Co Cork
- Course: L6 Specific Purpose Certificate in Farming (part-time)
Hear what Dave himself has to say about his course and winning 2021 Teagasc Student of the Year in the video below
Part-time Certificate in Farming Course
Dave says he was surprised to win the 2021 Teagasc Student of the Year Competition.* All of the students featured were finalists in the prestigious event, which is sponsored by FBD. “I’ll admit that when I was younger I was not a fan of the books at all,” he says. “I left school at 16 and it was only when I started getting interested in the farm that I realised the Green Cert is a must.”
Dave, who is now 34, contacted local Macroom Teagasc education officer Patrick Flannery and started the course, which involved one day per week and one evening in 2019. “The group of 15 students got on really well together,” says Dave. “If you have a passion for agriculture and farming, you’re going to be interested, but the course deliverers do make the content interesting. “I was always picking up something to use on the beef farm at home. I loved the practical work at the college – weighing and assessing the weights of cattle.”
Dave's farming system
Dave says he buys in calves, yearlings and stores. Once finished, they go to the ABP factory in Bandon. “We have everything from Belgian Blue to Speckled Parks, though Hereford and Angus are the most common. We aim to change to a system where some animals are ready to go to the factory each month.”
“It wasn’t anything like school,” says Dave. “I never thought exams and paperwork were my strongest suit, but I really like the Business Course and the Communications in the Green Cert. The teachers were not pushy, but explained things really well.” Dave says he finally decided to join the course when his fiancée said she would do a course in her profession at the same time.
“I’d say if you have an interest in farming definitely do it,” says Dave. “My only regret is that I didn’t do it years ago!”
Course coordinator: Teagasc education officer Pat Flannery, Macroom...
“There is great support for students on the part-time course from both West Cork advisory/administration colleagues and staff at Teagasc Clonakilty Agricultural College ,” says Pat.
“On the part-time course, you tend to have smaller groups, which allows for rich learning from each other and a good support network. “It’s a hands on course for hands on people, coupled with a good grounding in what’s needed to farm. A feature of the part-time course is regular interaction with front-line advisors.”
This article was first published in Today's Farm - July/August 2022 where you can read more articles like this one. | Read more about Teagasc /FBD Student of the Year Awards 2021
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