Despite the public sector moratorium on recruitment, there are still significant employment opportunities in Bord Bia.

There are 20 positions in the 2014 intake of Bord Bia’s Marketing Fellowship Programme which is run in association with the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

The intensive 12-month action learning programme gives candidates the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with some of Ireland’s leading food and drinks companies, while also attaining a masters in international marketing practice.

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Participants’ time is split between studying in Ireland and working in one of 14 key international markets, such as New York, Moscow and Tokyo. Applicants must have a minimum of two years practical work experience as well as a primary degree. This is a fully-funded programme, including all tuition fees. Participants receive a bursary of €22,800.

Applications open in February.

Enda Trautt is a Bord Bia marketing fellow. From Longford, he studied International Marketing and Languages in DCU; his mother, Lily Trautt, is manager of Ballymahon Farmers’ Mart. He now works in Dusseldorf in Bord Bia’s German office.

“I work with three companies — Liffey Meats, The Irishman Whiskey and Mr Crumb. I look into the market for potential opportunities. The three companies are at different stages so they have different needs.’’

EOP

The Food Marketing Graduate Programme run by Ibec’s Export Orientation Programme (EOP), in conjunction with Bord Bia and DIT, is similar. However, less experience is required for the EOP as it is a graduate programme. The programme lasts for 18 months and participants obtain a post-grad diploma with DIT.

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David Broderick, EOP manager in Ibec, said that between 30 and 40 people are recruited for this programme every year, depending on demand for companies. The graduates are placed in the overseas office of an Irish food or drinks company and are often responsible for sales and building the company’s presence in that market.

FRS

FRS has experienced considerable growth in the demand for core farm services such as relief milking and general farm work in 2013, despite the fodder crisis. FRS is confident that this increased demand will continue into 2014 as it is already getting queries from farmers who are planning to expand their dairy enterprise. Based on projected growth through 2014, FRS predicts the creation of 130 extra jobs.

Teagasc

Teagasc is a major employer of postgraduate Walsh Fellowship students, a programme which funds students to complete PhDs. There are 30 new places available on this programme each year and students are given a grant of €22,000. There are also post-doctoral opportunities and contract research positions which can be viewed at this link — www.teagasc.ie/careers