The graduate development programme offered by Macra na Feirme Agricultural Skillnet and UCC is designed for young professionals working for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food sector. SMEs in Ireland have limited scope to develop relevant graduate training programmes that meet the developmental needs of young graduates entering this sector.
The programme, which leads to a Level 7 Diploma in Leadership for the Agri-Food Sector, offers a valuable bridge between university and working life and will provide relevant business, management, leadership and professional development skills to young graduates in SME companies, without burdening the companies with the expense of developing an in-house programme.
It is designed to meet the management and leadership development needs of young agri-food graduates in the first three years of their working life. Alongside the core technical business skills and best practice tools, the programme will equip participants with motivation and coaching skills. As a result of this programme, participants will be able to embrace new challenges within their organisation and help to grow and have a lasting impact on their company in this fast-paced industry.
Who should apply?
Graduates who are working in an SME agri-food company and have the ambition and motivation to develop their core management skills.Graduates of food science, agriculture or related disciplines who have graduated in the last five years.For applicants without a Level 8 Degree, prior experiential learning and recognition of prior learning (RPL) will be taken into account.Programme modules
1. Introduction to management
Different management styles and structures.Models of management in successful agri-food businesses.Own management/leadership style evolution.2. Performance management
Models for performance measurement.Understanding and harnessing the varying performance drivers in people.Toolkit for getting the best out of both oneself and individuals; managing conflict.3. Business planning
From mission statement to business plan.Defining steps to finalised business plan, from feasibility to product/service launch.Swot analysis: KPI selection for measuring actuals.4. Time management
Principles of effective time management.Toolkit for prioritising work, delegation, ranking and scheduling.Building awareness of your daily pattern of energy levels.5. Project management and team-working
Project frameworks.Project planning, implementation and follow-up.Behaviour in teams, team-building and getting the best from your team.6. LEAN
Introduction to Lean methodology.Practical tools to help ease embedding of Lean in organisation.7. Communication and presentation skills
Effective communication skills and learning to read non-verbal communication.Effective influencing.8. Decision-making and critical thinking
Main decision-making models explained.How personal and group thinking affects decision-making.Critical thinking skills to aid effective decision-making.9. Finance for non-financial managers
Basics of accounting – balance sheet, cashflow.Budgets, forecasts, actuals reporting.Product costing, pricing, receivables and debt management.10. Innovation, sales and marketing
What innovation is and how to nurture it in oneself and others.Brainstorming, creativity and idea generation.Effective selling, negotiating and making a pitch.The programme design facilitates individuals who wish to study on a part-time basis and integrate their studies with their careers.
Participants will attend 10 two-day interactive workshops, which will be held at venues around the country.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the first five modules will be delivered online. The latter modules will be delivered either face-to-face or virtually, depending on Covid-19 restrictions.
Space is limited to 20 participants. For more information, please visit www.macra.ie/skillnet or email skillnet@macra.ie
The graduate development programme offered by Macra na Feirme Agricultural Skillnet and UCC is designed for young professionals working for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food sector. SMEs in Ireland have limited scope to develop relevant graduate training programmes that meet the developmental needs of young graduates entering this sector.
The programme, which leads to a Level 7 Diploma in Leadership for the Agri-Food Sector, offers a valuable bridge between university and working life and will provide relevant business, management, leadership and professional development skills to young graduates in SME companies, without burdening the companies with the expense of developing an in-house programme.
It is designed to meet the management and leadership development needs of young agri-food graduates in the first three years of their working life. Alongside the core technical business skills and best practice tools, the programme will equip participants with motivation and coaching skills. As a result of this programme, participants will be able to embrace new challenges within their organisation and help to grow and have a lasting impact on their company in this fast-paced industry.
Who should apply?
Graduates who are working in an SME agri-food company and have the ambition and motivation to develop their core management skills.Graduates of food science, agriculture or related disciplines who have graduated in the last five years.For applicants without a Level 8 Degree, prior experiential learning and recognition of prior learning (RPL) will be taken into account.Programme modules
1. Introduction to management
Different management styles and structures.Models of management in successful agri-food businesses.Own management/leadership style evolution.2. Performance management
Models for performance measurement.Understanding and harnessing the varying performance drivers in people.Toolkit for getting the best out of both oneself and individuals; managing conflict.3. Business planning
From mission statement to business plan.Defining steps to finalised business plan, from feasibility to product/service launch.Swot analysis: KPI selection for measuring actuals.4. Time management
Principles of effective time management.Toolkit for prioritising work, delegation, ranking and scheduling.Building awareness of your daily pattern of energy levels.5. Project management and team-working
Project frameworks.Project planning, implementation and follow-up.Behaviour in teams, team-building and getting the best from your team.6. LEAN
Introduction to Lean methodology.Practical tools to help ease embedding of Lean in organisation.7. Communication and presentation skills
Effective communication skills and learning to read non-verbal communication.Effective influencing.8. Decision-making and critical thinking
Main decision-making models explained.How personal and group thinking affects decision-making.Critical thinking skills to aid effective decision-making.9. Finance for non-financial managers
Basics of accounting – balance sheet, cashflow.Budgets, forecasts, actuals reporting.Product costing, pricing, receivables and debt management.10. Innovation, sales and marketing
What innovation is and how to nurture it in oneself and others.Brainstorming, creativity and idea generation.Effective selling, negotiating and making a pitch.The programme design facilitates individuals who wish to study on a part-time basis and integrate their studies with their careers.
Participants will attend 10 two-day interactive workshops, which will be held at venues around the country.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the first five modules will be delivered online. The latter modules will be delivered either face-to-face or virtually, depending on Covid-19 restrictions.
Space is limited to 20 participants. For more information, please visit www.macra.ie/skillnet or email skillnet@macra.ie
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