The sustainable farm management and agribusiness degree in Wexford will see its first students graduate this year.
The four-year programme currently has a total of 60 students enrolled and there is space for 20 first years this coming September.
The course is delivered by IT Carlow on its campus in Wexford town. It is only a stone’s throw from Johnstown Castle where the students regularly go on field trips. However, they also go to IT Carlow to use the laboratories as well.
I’m keen to ensure that the students develop transferable skills by doing assignments
“We have a good geographical spread of students; some from Cavan, Kildare, Carlow, Leitrim and a good few from Wexford,” says lecturer Eamon Nolan.
“The course is split between science, agricultural production systems and business. We believe we have a well-rounded graduate that can go into any aspect of the industry.
“I’m keen to ensure that the students develop transferable skills by doing assignments that would be similar to what they would be doing in the working world.
“We do a lot of site visits with the students; we went to Kehoe’s of Foulksmills to see their robots and indoor farming system, we also went out to see beef farms, Slaney Foods and Wexford Creamery where Glanbia make cheddar.
“We also encourage students to go to conferences such as the National Tillage Conference to expand their critical thinking. Last December, we went to Rural Futures 2 on sustainable solutions for ruminant pastoral agriculture.”
There are currently more than 3,000 Wexford Campus alumni, 90% of whom are from Wexford and a sizable percentage are first-generation third-level students
Of the 14 graduating students, some are looking at going on to master’s and PhD programmes while others are considering working in advisory.
There are currently more than 3,000 Wexford Campus alumni, 90% of whom are from Wexford and a sizable percentage are first-generation third-level students.
Accessibility to higher education, without having to travel too far, can impact hugely on people’s options and future careers paths. Wexford Campus provides access to learners where there is a lesser tradition of pursuing higher education.
Irish Country Living speaks to three of the fourth-year students that will graduate from the Wexford sustainable farm management and agribusiness degree this year.
David Kelly, Athy, Co Kildare
“I am a 21-year-old student from Kildare and I’m the son of third-generation tillage farmers in the Athy area. It’s a family-run business and we sow crops such as wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape.
“I have received valuable experience throughout the work experience module on beef and dairy farms in neighbouring Co Laois.
The course provides an exit award of a Green Cert after second year
“I worked in Teagasc Oak Park researching aphid monitoring, leather jacket pests monitoring, spraying trial plots as well as working on seeding rates in oats which formed the basis of my final year project.
“I received student of the year (sponsored by EPA) at level 7 and am currently working towards a level 8 degree.
“The course provides an exit award of a Green Cert after second year as well as the opportunity to receive the professional pesticide user certificate.
The course covers key elements in agriculture that employers look for
“The huge advantage about the course is the small class sizes (there are 14 students in the class graduating this year) where the lecturers are very attentive and obliging.
“The course covers key elements in agriculture that employers look for such as law, economics, marketing, management and accounting while also getting in the key practical modules of animal and crop production. Our assignments keep us up to date on the business elements of running modern-day farms but also help us to form a critical view of ongoing issues in the agricultural industry.
“I am not certain as to what exactly I am going to do after graduation, but I have a keen interest in crops so I might pursue a career in advisory or consultancy.”
Tommy Breen, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Tommy Breen moved back to Wexford to work in the family business.
“In 2013, I moved back home from Dublin where I was selling solar panels to join the family business, Breen Agri Services Ltd, which is run by my father. It is predominantly a local agricultural retail and advisory service based just outside Enniscorthy.
“I hadn’t studied agriculture and had no real experience in the agri sector before joining the business.
“I found that, although I gained a lot of knowledge working and dealing with farmers, I lacked a fundamental understanding of the broader agri sector.
“As we deal with farmers from the tillage, dairy, beef, forestry and horticulture sectors, among others, it was important to have an understanding of each sector.
I have been able to remain close to home for work and found that the seasonality of the agri sector complemented my studies
“This course provides just that, with modules dealing with wide-ranging topics, from sustainable animal and crop production to agri economics.
“I have been able to remain close to home for work and found that the seasonality of the agri sector complemented my studies well as our busiest season in work is during the summer holidays from college.
“It has been hard work juggling the two at times, but I find the practical experience the course offers, as well as the contacts I have made in the past four years, have been invaluable.
“The outlook for the coming years for agriculture in Ireland seems very uncertain and I’m glad I took the opportunity to return to study.”
Carol Kehoe, Kilmore Quay,
Co Wexford
Carol Kehoe is a mature student in the course in Wexford.
“I am a fourth-year mature student. Since I left secondary school I have had a busy lifestyle rearing a family on our sheep and suckler farm in south Wexford.
“When I heard that the Wexford campus were offering an agriculture course, I knew straight away that I wanted to enquire.
“I visited the college, where I had a chance to chat to the lecturers regarding the course. It all sounded very exciting, but at the same time I was a little bit anxious about returning to education while caring for a young family.
This course has enabled me to acquire the Green Cert and I have also completed the DAFM-accredited spray course
“Class sizes in the Wexford campus are small, which means the lecturers know you by name. Now in my fourth year of studying, I have had a lot of fun meeting new people and have been learning new things that are beneficial to my family life and my career.
“This course has enabled me to acquire the Green Cert and I have also completed the DAFM-accredited spray course.
“The course facilitated many site visits to see different farming systems. It really was a great experience to gain a vision of the different alternatives that are available in the modern farming world.
“For my 24-week professional work placement I worked on a dairy farm, in a merchant’s agri grain store and with Teagasc in Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford.
“I have learnt so much and have met so many helpful and professional people along the way, which I will never forget.
“Afterwards, I am hoping I will gain employment in the area of agri research or as an agri advisor.”
Course: Bachelor of science (Honours) sustainable farm management and agribusiness.
NFQ: Level 8.
Location: Wexford Campus, Summerhill, Co Wexford.
School: Institute of Technology Carlow.
Features: Certified young trained farmer after two years. Twenty-four weeks professional work experience in third year. Blend of applied business and science based modules.
Entry requirements: Leaving certificate two H5s and four O6/H7s. Maths and English or Irish O6/O7 are required. Minimum CAO points in 2019 was 270.
Read more
New agricultural course launched in Wexford
Free agri and construction course in Meath
Date for the diary: Teagasc college open days
The sustainable farm management and agribusiness degree in Wexford will see its first students graduate this year.
The four-year programme currently has a total of 60 students enrolled and there is space for 20 first years this coming September.
The course is delivered by IT Carlow on its campus in Wexford town. It is only a stone’s throw from Johnstown Castle where the students regularly go on field trips. However, they also go to IT Carlow to use the laboratories as well.
I’m keen to ensure that the students develop transferable skills by doing assignments
“We have a good geographical spread of students; some from Cavan, Kildare, Carlow, Leitrim and a good few from Wexford,” says lecturer Eamon Nolan.
“The course is split between science, agricultural production systems and business. We believe we have a well-rounded graduate that can go into any aspect of the industry.
“I’m keen to ensure that the students develop transferable skills by doing assignments that would be similar to what they would be doing in the working world.
“We do a lot of site visits with the students; we went to Kehoe’s of Foulksmills to see their robots and indoor farming system, we also went out to see beef farms, Slaney Foods and Wexford Creamery where Glanbia make cheddar.
“We also encourage students to go to conferences such as the National Tillage Conference to expand their critical thinking. Last December, we went to Rural Futures 2 on sustainable solutions for ruminant pastoral agriculture.”
There are currently more than 3,000 Wexford Campus alumni, 90% of whom are from Wexford and a sizable percentage are first-generation third-level students
Of the 14 graduating students, some are looking at going on to master’s and PhD programmes while others are considering working in advisory.
There are currently more than 3,000 Wexford Campus alumni, 90% of whom are from Wexford and a sizable percentage are first-generation third-level students.
Accessibility to higher education, without having to travel too far, can impact hugely on people’s options and future careers paths. Wexford Campus provides access to learners where there is a lesser tradition of pursuing higher education.
Irish Country Living speaks to three of the fourth-year students that will graduate from the Wexford sustainable farm management and agribusiness degree this year.
David Kelly, Athy, Co Kildare
“I am a 21-year-old student from Kildare and I’m the son of third-generation tillage farmers in the Athy area. It’s a family-run business and we sow crops such as wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape.
“I have received valuable experience throughout the work experience module on beef and dairy farms in neighbouring Co Laois.
The course provides an exit award of a Green Cert after second year
“I worked in Teagasc Oak Park researching aphid monitoring, leather jacket pests monitoring, spraying trial plots as well as working on seeding rates in oats which formed the basis of my final year project.
“I received student of the year (sponsored by EPA) at level 7 and am currently working towards a level 8 degree.
“The course provides an exit award of a Green Cert after second year as well as the opportunity to receive the professional pesticide user certificate.
The course covers key elements in agriculture that employers look for
“The huge advantage about the course is the small class sizes (there are 14 students in the class graduating this year) where the lecturers are very attentive and obliging.
“The course covers key elements in agriculture that employers look for such as law, economics, marketing, management and accounting while also getting in the key practical modules of animal and crop production. Our assignments keep us up to date on the business elements of running modern-day farms but also help us to form a critical view of ongoing issues in the agricultural industry.
“I am not certain as to what exactly I am going to do after graduation, but I have a keen interest in crops so I might pursue a career in advisory or consultancy.”
Tommy Breen, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Tommy Breen moved back to Wexford to work in the family business.
“In 2013, I moved back home from Dublin where I was selling solar panels to join the family business, Breen Agri Services Ltd, which is run by my father. It is predominantly a local agricultural retail and advisory service based just outside Enniscorthy.
“I hadn’t studied agriculture and had no real experience in the agri sector before joining the business.
“I found that, although I gained a lot of knowledge working and dealing with farmers, I lacked a fundamental understanding of the broader agri sector.
“As we deal with farmers from the tillage, dairy, beef, forestry and horticulture sectors, among others, it was important to have an understanding of each sector.
I have been able to remain close to home for work and found that the seasonality of the agri sector complemented my studies
“This course provides just that, with modules dealing with wide-ranging topics, from sustainable animal and crop production to agri economics.
“I have been able to remain close to home for work and found that the seasonality of the agri sector complemented my studies well as our busiest season in work is during the summer holidays from college.
“It has been hard work juggling the two at times, but I find the practical experience the course offers, as well as the contacts I have made in the past four years, have been invaluable.
“The outlook for the coming years for agriculture in Ireland seems very uncertain and I’m glad I took the opportunity to return to study.”
Carol Kehoe, Kilmore Quay,
Co Wexford
Carol Kehoe is a mature student in the course in Wexford.
“I am a fourth-year mature student. Since I left secondary school I have had a busy lifestyle rearing a family on our sheep and suckler farm in south Wexford.
“When I heard that the Wexford campus were offering an agriculture course, I knew straight away that I wanted to enquire.
“I visited the college, where I had a chance to chat to the lecturers regarding the course. It all sounded very exciting, but at the same time I was a little bit anxious about returning to education while caring for a young family.
This course has enabled me to acquire the Green Cert and I have also completed the DAFM-accredited spray course
“Class sizes in the Wexford campus are small, which means the lecturers know you by name. Now in my fourth year of studying, I have had a lot of fun meeting new people and have been learning new things that are beneficial to my family life and my career.
“This course has enabled me to acquire the Green Cert and I have also completed the DAFM-accredited spray course.
“The course facilitated many site visits to see different farming systems. It really was a great experience to gain a vision of the different alternatives that are available in the modern farming world.
“For my 24-week professional work placement I worked on a dairy farm, in a merchant’s agri grain store and with Teagasc in Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford.
“I have learnt so much and have met so many helpful and professional people along the way, which I will never forget.
“Afterwards, I am hoping I will gain employment in the area of agri research or as an agri advisor.”
Course: Bachelor of science (Honours) sustainable farm management and agribusiness.
NFQ: Level 8.
Location: Wexford Campus, Summerhill, Co Wexford.
School: Institute of Technology Carlow.
Features: Certified young trained farmer after two years. Twenty-four weeks professional work experience in third year. Blend of applied business and science based modules.
Entry requirements: Leaving certificate two H5s and four O6/H7s. Maths and English or Irish O6/O7 are required. Minimum CAO points in 2019 was 270.
Read more
New agricultural course launched in Wexford
Free agri and construction course in Meath
Date for the diary: Teagasc college open days
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