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Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney officially opened the UCD Agriculture, Food Science and Human Nutrition Careers Day last week, which was attended by 298 soon-to-be qualified ag science students who had the chance to impress the 35 employers at the event.
In a very passionate and positive opening address, Minister Coveney said that about one in nine jobs in Ireland at the moment is linked to agriculture, food, food retail and nutrition, and he said the sector is “looking for talent, it’s looking for ambition, and we have a whole new generation in my view who are going to further transform our agri-food, food and nutrition sectors over the next 10 years in a way that’s really exciting, and in a way that will reaffirm this sector as by far the most important sector in the Irish economy.”
Randox
One of the most interesting discoveries at the fair on Country Living’s part was Randox, a company that produces cutting-edge technology which improves the quality and safety of food around the world. For example, over 12.5m sirloin steaks are tested each year using Randox food diagnostics kits and Randox tests enough wine every year to fill 40 Olympic swimming pools. The Randox HQ is in Antrim, while the company has 25 offices worldwide (locations include Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Dubai).
Randox is looking for at least 35 graduates this year. Randox’s two-year graduate development programme provides an insight into a variety of roles and departments. Randox says it accepts graduates from all disciplines.
The company will also be taking on a significant number of students on placement (last year 33 students were given such placements, across a range of disciplines such as business, engineering and science).
Randox is also developing a manufacturing plant in Donegal which will see 540 positions created up to 2020. It will be looking for scientists, engineers and logistical and support staff.
In 2013 Randox bought a former army barracks in Antrim, now known as Randox Science Park, which is currently under renovation. This is a far cry from its beginnings in a hen house in Antrim in the early 1980s when it had only three staff. The first Randox international office opened in France in 1992.
www.randox.com/ vancancies-at-randox
Alltech
Alltech is taking applications for its beef career development programme. The 12-month programme begins in September and candidates will be placed in Europe, mainly in Germany, Spain and Italy so, not surprisingly, a foreign language is an advantage. Applications open on 1 April and close on 31 May.
Alltech also has a dairy career development programme running at the moment which took on four people last year who were placed in China, Turkey, Vietnam and the US.
Alltech has no plans tied down yet in terms of when they’ll be recruiting for the next dairy programme but it’s in the pipeline.
Alltech also has a general graduate career development programme which is broader as candidates could be based in animal health and nutrition, life sciences, crop sciences, algae, or the brewing and distilling division, which is relatively new in Ireland. Its 12 places are already filled for 2015 but that includes just one Irish person. The starting date is September 2016 and applications will be accepted from April 2016.
Liffey Meats
Liffey Meats has trainee supervisor positions on the factory floor in procurement. The meat processor also has positions in sales, quality control, product development and packaging.
The company wouldn’t say how many positions are available but it is accepting CVs all the time, saying there is no closing date for such positions but it is envisaged the roles will begin in September.
Send CVs to Anthony.lyons@liffeymeats.ie
Norbrook
Norbrook is a pharmaceutical company that produces veterinary and human medicine and its head office is in Newry, Co Down, where 2,000 people are employed. The company has seen employment increase by 37% since 2005 and is continuing to expand significantly.
It will take on approximately 100 graduates throughout the year. This will happen via many different campaigns from various departments. The positions are generally quite science-based so Norbrook is interested in anyone from an animal science or life science background. Not all positions in Norbrook require a degree.
IPM Potato Group
Did you know that China is now the world’s largest potato-producing country and nearly a third of the world’s potatoes are harvested in China and India? IPM is a seed potato company and the largest exporter of protected varieties from the UK.
IPM Potato Group is expanding and taking two people on to a graduate training programme this year. Candidates will get experience in production, logistics, marketing and other areas. IPM says candidates will get a holistic view of the business through the graduate programme.
Rosderra
Rosderra Irish Meats is the largest pig slaughtering and processing company in Ireland and currently employs 1,000 people in Ireland. Rosderra has 55% of the national pig kill at 30,000 pigs per week.
Rosderra isn’t running a graduate programme at the moment but the processor envisages that in six months to a year it will run another programme. This is because it wants to see how their current graduate progamme (which was the first graduate programme run by Rosderra since it broke away from Glanbia) finishes up in April as it’s looking at putting the people who’ve gone through that into junior management positions.
Grant Thornton
Accountancy firm Grant Thornton has very strong links with the agri-industry as many of its clients are focused on food and farming. The firm took on 70 graduates last year and some of these came from ag science/agri-business.
Country Living is told that the ag science/agri-business graduates that come into the business do really well as they are involved in drafting proposals for clients at a real level.
The best way of securing a place on the Grant Thornton graduate programme is to do a paid internship with the firm during your final year of college.
Interchem
Interchem (Ireland) Ltd, an animal health business based in Dublin, is looking for an inside sales person who will generate income for the company by building relationships with customers through identifying opportunities, analysing accounts, gathering information, introducing and rolling out various campaigns. A degree in ag science or equivalent along with some experience of the animal health industry is preferred but not required.
Other employers
Other companies present included R&H Hall, an importer and supplier of animal feed ingredients for feed manufacturing, and Samco, which will be hiring after the harvest in November/December.
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