With a turnover of over €3.5bn per annum, almost 6,000 employees and a presence in 34 countries worldwide, it’s no surprise Glanbia has jobs.

In 2015, the co-op took on 58 graduates and it is expected a further 65 graduates will join Glanbia in 2016.

The Pure Ambition Graduate Programme plays a vital role in developing future global leaders for Glanbia, while many candidates are given the opportunity of global work placements and assignments.

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Lakeland Dairies is currently increasing the overall number in its workforce as per an announcement made earlier in the year that 81 new jobs would be created over the next five years at its facility in Bailieborough, Co Cavan.

Included among the positions filled or in the process of being filled are production operator roles, production management and supervisory roles, and technical and quality roles. Additionally, Lakeland Dairies is continuing to recruit graduates as part of its graduate programme and this will continue into 2016.

Lakeland is beginning a €36m investment in an expansion of its milk powder processing operations which will see up to 180 construction jobs being created.

Bandon Co-Op is going from strength to strength. In 2015, the co-op created 20 new jobs across its three core business units – its agri division, retail division and dairy products division. The company plans to create another 50 new jobs over the next three years.

Fane Valley took on 47 people in 2015. Thirty-four of these positions were newly created, while 13 were replacements.

Donegal Investment Group, formerly Donegal Creameries, took on 20 new staff across its six different business units in 2015. The bulk of this recruitment was for the newly formed Nomadic Dairy, the new yoghurt drink business, which took on 14 new staff with the appointment of senior management positions, administrative staff and general operatives. The investment group also took on four new staff in its animal feeds business.

The main recruitment activities for the business in 2016 will be for Nomadic Dairy also. Edith Marley, HR manager for the group, has been on the lookout for food technologists and new product developers but has admitted it has been particularly difficult finding suitable candidates with a background in dairy.

Aurivo has continued investing in future talent by recruiting three graduates this year to join their Leadership Development Programme. Aurivo intends taking on three more graduates in 2016. The company also plans on recruiting two new farm commercial specialists by the end of the year.

2015 saw consolidation for Aurivo which has had some damaging consequences for workers of the company in Sligo as nearly 20 jobs are now at risk as Aurivo plans to move its butter-packing operation to Ornua’s new packing facility in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, from June 2016. However, this is positive news for the south as Ornua’s biggest recruitment drive for next year will be for the company to fill between 40 and 50 positions in production for the brand new butter packing facility. Ornua will also be recruiting between 15 and 20 sales and commercial roles to work in its overseas market, including Africa, Germany and China.

Lisavaird Co-Op Creameries added four new positions to its already strong staff base of 70 employees this year. These new jobs were a mix of administrative staff and general operatives.

Strathroy Dairy created five new positions in 2015 for general operatives. The company expects to create five more new positions for general operatives in 2016.

Another media-shy company in the sector says it will be creating new positions in 2016 for production operatives, warehousing operatives, people in purchasing, store sales personnel, general office staff, people in finance roles and people in ruminant sales.