Recruitment has commenced for the four-week pilot programme aimed at giving job seekers, people in receipt of Farm Assist payments, drystock farmers and women new skills to work on dairy farms.

The dairy operative training programme, as revealed in the Irish Farmers Journal, will commence in September.

Padraig Madden of the Farm Relief Service, which is running the programme in partnership with Teagasc, said the programme will consist of hands-on milking training on farm and at Kildalton.

“The programme will have four modules focusing on the ability to milk, control mastitis, rear calves, manage stock, identify sick animals and operate machinery,” explained Madden.

“The majority of farmers looking to take someone on need an all-round operator. This programme will make sure that the participants can walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”

Host farmers for the training range from 80-cow herds to 150-cow units.

Madden hopes to see the programme rolled out nationwide following the pilot programme.

Job seekers who participate in the programme will retain their usual social welfare payment during the course, under the Department of Social Protection’s part-time education option scheme rules.

Once they secure a job with a dairy farmer, their social welfare payments will depend on their precise circumstances and means and subject to the same conditions as other job seekers.

Paidí Kelly of Teagasc predicted that most demand for workers would centre on the peak calving months of February, March and April.

He estimates that part-time workers can earn around €5,000 on dairy farms at the spring peak of labour demand.

Kelly said that while the majority of farmers do not require a full-time worker, there is a growing number of assistant positions available on farms, both in milking and calf-rearing.

With strong demand predicted for part-time workers next spring, it is likely that farmers who have completed a new employer skills course will get priority when it comes to having these FRS-trained workers placed on their farms.

“There is a pilot farmer development course which is aimed at giving farmers people management skills which they may not have needed until now,” Kelly explained. “Many farmers have never been either an employer nor an employee.”

Would you take on someone who had no previous farm experience?

“I would. At one stage we all had no experience. A person with the right attitude and willingness to work, you would be surprised at what they would pick up in a couple of days. I didn’t milk any cows until I milked my own in 2013.”

Brian Rushe, Co Kildare.

“I would be a bit sceptical. They would have to be very well trained. I’d like to get a few TBC and SCC tests back from the co-op from their milkings before I would be convinced. I’m very fussy about how my cows are milked.”

60-cow farmer, Co Galway.

“I would have no issue taking them on. Someone with no previous dairy experience will have no bad habits or preconceived ideas and they will be more open-minded.

“Attitude is everything. I’d like to see farmers trained as employers too.”

Brian Doheny, Co Kilkenny.

Read more

Will beef farmers milk cows to address dairy labour shortage?

Max power: dealing with labour on a 900-cow dairy farm

Farmer Writes: physical work doesn't appeal to the WiFi generation