In 2023, more than €18.28 billion worth of Irish agricultural goods were exported to over 180 countries worldwide. According to the 2020 census, the Irish agricultural Industry employs over 278,600 people, both directly and indirectly in various sectors such as farming, horticulture, forestry, tourism, sustainability, manufacturing, research and many more.
There is a broad range of occupations within this sector and there are some new courses, such as the recently announced veterinary course in Donegal ATU and the new stud farm manager course with Teagasc in Kilkenny, which will appeal to many. There is a huge demand for agricultural workers in Ireland and plenty of employment options within the sector.
Wide choice of courses
There are many agricultural courses in Ireland to choose from. Teagasc is the agricultural and food development authority which provides agricultural courses to rural communities and has colleges based in Gurteen, Co Tipperary, Mountbellew, Co Galway and Pallaskenry, Co Limerick.
Teagasc offers courses in 'Crops and Machinery' (Level 6 ), 'Sports Turf Management' (Level 6 ) and 'General Agriculture' (Level 6 ). Teagasc also offers many part-time courses for those working in agriculture who wish to upskill or diversify their current agricultural offerings.
These courses include 'Landscape Construction and Maintenance' (Level 5 ), 'Plant Propagation' (Level 5 ) and 'Plant Protection' (Level 5 ). Teagasc also offers courses in forestry and has a number of open days throughout the year where students can visit the college and meet course directors. Check out Teagasc's website (www.Teagasc.ie ) to learn more.
Meanwhile, for those looking for degree-related agricultural courses, ATU Mountbellew offers a bachelor's (Level 8 ) in 'Agricultural Engineering', 'Agricultural and Environmental Management' and 'Rural Enterprise and Agribusiness' (Level 8 ). University of Galway, University of Limerick, UCC and UCD all offer a Bachelor in Agricultural Science.
Working with animals in agriculture has always been a popular career choice for second-level students. UCD offers a BAgrSc in Animal science and a BSc in 'Veterinary Medicine' (both undergrad and postgrad ) and a BSc in Veterinary Nursing. TUS Athlone also offers a BSc in Veterinary Nursing.
Due to the huge shortage of vets in Ireland, the government is trying to create more Veterinary places for Irish students to study in Ireland. The points for 'Veterinary Medicine' are still expected to remain high all over Ireland. Many Irish students opt to go abroad to Poland and Hungary to study veterinary medicine. Check out the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, and the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest websites for more information. Both university's websites are in English and contain much information on fees and entry requirements for those courses.
Many opportunities in agriculture
The agricultural industry is very diverse, with many working in agriculture saying that they find it a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. However, some of those working in animal care have said that achieving a work/life balance can sometimes be challenging with the anti-social hours that are involved in caring for livestock. While traditionally, many students with an agricultural background opt to study agriculture as a means to upskill and equip themselves with the tools necessary to manage their family farm efficiently, there are also a lot of opportunities in Agriculture for those who do not come from an agricultural background.
Many enrol in agriculture courses and go to work for the Department of Agriculture and Marine, Bord Bia, An Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM ), IBEC, Teagasc, Dairygold, Glanbia, Kerry Group, Enterprise Ireland and many other large food and drink producers. Some of these state bodies also offer graduate programmes for those who studied agriculture. Some agricultural graduates go on to work in research with Teagasc or the BIA Innovator in Galway, while others go abroad, with some even working in the EU, advising on agricultural policy, projects and funding. For those who studied agriculture and have decided to work in other industries such as sustainability, agritech, and pharma, many of the agricultural courses equip graduates with transferable skills such as research, organization, communication, influencing and leadership skills. Many employers also appreciate the practical ‘real-life experience’ component of agricultural courses. Agriculture is an exciting industry that is constantly evolving and embracing innovative technology to improve practices so no matter what agriculture course you study, there will be plenty of employment options available upon graduation.
Claire is a guidance counsellor with over 12 years of experience providing guidance counselling to second-level and third-level students as well as graduates, adults and career changes. To find out more, check out her website at www.galwayguidance.ie
