This last week I have considered my education and the privilege it is to have it. Amy Hempel said: “There’s no such thing as luck – luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” However, if I can’t call it luck, I will say I was lucky with the opportunity to get the education that I have received.
The year I put agricultural science on the CAO form, the points for UCD were at an achievable level, and after my undergraduate I got a paid master’s through the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship programme. My old employer thought enough of continuous education to give me a sizable amount of time off to travel and learn through a Nuffield Scholarship and I have also benefited from in-house training throughout my career.
Many years ago, Irish society decided that education was important. This has resulted in an increase in the numbers of students attending third level from less than 25,000 students in 1969 to more than 181,000 now.
Over the weekend, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor announced plans to create women-only professorships in Irish universities and there was a response: some in support, some firmly against. I attended the launch of the report on Monday and met with some of those involved in writing it. A lot of women I know are as uncomfortable with “jobs for the girls” as they are with “jobs for the boys”.
ASA past president Karina Pierce, current president Amii McKeever, with former presidents Elaine Farrell and Mary Delaney.
There is a belief in meritocracy, where talent and commitment should be sufficient to secure promotion. However, the taskforce found (as has been cited in many sectors, not just education) that women face a number of serious barriers to progression that are not experienced to the same degree by their male counterparts. The action plan seeks to deal with these barriers.
As current Agricultural Science Association (ASA) president, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the past presidents of the association last week. This was insightful, as we discussed the future role of the organisation in terms of what we should be delivering for members and also what we should be contributing to the agricultural industry in general.
Amii McKeever, ASA president, with the winners of each group at the ASA WIT mock interviews on 7 November 2018.
Also in the last week, I have interviewed agricultural science students, some for intern editorial positions within this paper and others for mock interviews to prepare them for the jobs market that awaits them. Being involved has given me in one week the opportunity to learn from past leaders and meet potential future leaders.
Justin McCarthy wrote in his Irish Farmers Journal editorial last week of the importance of leadership for our co-ops, our farm organisations and our industry. Young people in Ireland have mobilised behind campaigns they believe in, leading change in our society. Some 125,000 people registered to vote ahead of the Referendum on the Eighth Amendment. In 2015, 66,000 were added to the register in advance of the marriage equality referendum. We need more young people to vote for our industry and to become the change-makers of tomorrow. To mobilise young people to participate in organisations, they must understand the benefits of getting involved, this education is the industry’s responsibility.
Read more
Feel the fear and do it anyway
Role models support and encourage participation in all aspects of life
This last week I have considered my education and the privilege it is to have it. Amy Hempel said: “There’s no such thing as luck – luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” However, if I can’t call it luck, I will say I was lucky with the opportunity to get the education that I have received.
The year I put agricultural science on the CAO form, the points for UCD were at an achievable level, and after my undergraduate I got a paid master’s through the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship programme. My old employer thought enough of continuous education to give me a sizable amount of time off to travel and learn through a Nuffield Scholarship and I have also benefited from in-house training throughout my career.
Many years ago, Irish society decided that education was important. This has resulted in an increase in the numbers of students attending third level from less than 25,000 students in 1969 to more than 181,000 now.
Over the weekend, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor announced plans to create women-only professorships in Irish universities and there was a response: some in support, some firmly against. I attended the launch of the report on Monday and met with some of those involved in writing it. A lot of women I know are as uncomfortable with “jobs for the girls” as they are with “jobs for the boys”.
ASA past president Karina Pierce, current president Amii McKeever, with former presidents Elaine Farrell and Mary Delaney.
There is a belief in meritocracy, where talent and commitment should be sufficient to secure promotion. However, the taskforce found (as has been cited in many sectors, not just education) that women face a number of serious barriers to progression that are not experienced to the same degree by their male counterparts. The action plan seeks to deal with these barriers.
As current Agricultural Science Association (ASA) president, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the past presidents of the association last week. This was insightful, as we discussed the future role of the organisation in terms of what we should be delivering for members and also what we should be contributing to the agricultural industry in general.
Amii McKeever, ASA president, with the winners of each group at the ASA WIT mock interviews on 7 November 2018.
Also in the last week, I have interviewed agricultural science students, some for intern editorial positions within this paper and others for mock interviews to prepare them for the jobs market that awaits them. Being involved has given me in one week the opportunity to learn from past leaders and meet potential future leaders.
Justin McCarthy wrote in his Irish Farmers Journal editorial last week of the importance of leadership for our co-ops, our farm organisations and our industry. Young people in Ireland have mobilised behind campaigns they believe in, leading change in our society. Some 125,000 people registered to vote ahead of the Referendum on the Eighth Amendment. In 2015, 66,000 were added to the register in advance of the marriage equality referendum. We need more young people to vote for our industry and to become the change-makers of tomorrow. To mobilise young people to participate in organisations, they must understand the benefits of getting involved, this education is the industry’s responsibility.
Read more
Feel the fear and do it anyway
Role models support and encourage participation in all aspects of life
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