People wishing to gain farming qualifications through the apprenticeships system will soon be able to do so as three such apprenticeships begin this September.
The apprenticeships will be in farm management, farm technician and horticulture, and will be available through a number of agricultural colleges around the country. The horticulture apprenticeship will be available through the College of Amenity Horticulture in the Botanic Gardens in Dublin.
The Farm Manager apprenticeship will lead to a Level 7 degree and will initially be available through Kildalton College, Kilkenny, while the Farm Technician Level 6 will be available in Clonakilty College Cork and Ballyhaise College Cavan.
Speaking today, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said: "This is a really exciting development for both the education and the farming sectors.
"These apprenticeship programmes will welcome their first apprentices in September. Embedding these programmes will be essential to securing the future of farming.
"This investment will ensure the next generation of farmers can access the education they want and need, while still working on the farm."
The Farm Manager apprenticeship creates a pathway to a managerial career in the agricultural sector, equipping the apprentice with the latest research and best practice management knowledge to successfully run a commercial farm business.
The Farm Technician apprenticeship trains apprentices to operate successfully within Irish farming systems, gaining skills in daily operations, compliance with industry standards and regulatory measures. Apprentices will be employed by commercial farm enterprises such as arable, dairy, cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, suckler farm enterprises.
An apprenticeship in Horticulture will also be available through the College of Amenity Horticulture in the Botanic Gardens in Dublin. The horticultural industry spans nursery stock production, parks and garden maintenance, fruit production, vegetable production, landscape construction and garden centre operations.
The Horticulture apprenticeship will equip apprentices with the knowledge, skills, and competence to work in their chosen field of horticulture.
Each apprenticeship is two years in length and lead to a major award on the National Framework of Qualifications.
Director of the National Apprenticeship Office Dr Mary-Liz Trant said: "With these new programmes launched today Ireland now has over 70 national apprenticeship programmes available."
"Our skills and education landscape is being transformed, with the number of options now available and the diversity of choice in occupations and careers, from farming and horticulture to international financial services and engineering."
