The ratio of female graduates increased to 28% at Teagasc colleges last year.
This figure is up from approximately 10% in 2015, according to Teagasc head of education Anne Marie Butler who was speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal about this year’s college open days.
Throughout March, four Teagasc colleges held open days for prospective students looking for full-time Level 5 agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry courses.
Butler said the percentage of women graduating from these college courses is growing year-on-year.
“Some courses like our equine courses are predominantly female but the machinery or crops courses, there might be only one or two females. But overall, the number is growing and that’s right across all the programs.”
Alternatives
Teagasc has also offered agriculture apprenticeships since 2023 as well as distance or part-time course as an alternative method of learning.
Butler said that these alternatives have been popular with people that are already in employment.
“We found in the first two years that the majority of our apprentices are older than the students that are coming in for full-time courses. You could have average ages of 22 to 23 and older, and maybe 17 to 18 in the full-time courses.
“We haven’t seen a move from one to the other (full-time to apprenticeships) but we are certainly keen to make the apprenticeships more visible to people.”
Throughout March, four Teagasc colleges held open days for prospective students looking for full-time Level 5 agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry courses. \ Claire Nash
Demand
Applications for courses are already open and Butler said that numbers are slightly ahead of last year.
For any potential applicants that need advice on any of the courses on offer, they can ask a member of the Teagasc team.
“We find that the spring open days are typically a busier open day, there are a lot of students that are facing into the Leaving Cert or in fifth year and they’re having a look around at what’s there. All of the colleges would have had very good demand,” added Butler.
“People came with their parents, guardians or friends so you find that people come to review the courses as a family. It’s also always good, we welcome back past students and their sons and daughters are considering it.”
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The ratio of female graduates increased to 28% at Teagasc colleges last year.
This figure is up from approximately 10% in 2015, according to Teagasc head of education Anne Marie Butler who was speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal about this year’s college open days.
Throughout March, four Teagasc colleges held open days for prospective students looking for full-time Level 5 agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry courses.
Butler said the percentage of women graduating from these college courses is growing year-on-year.
“Some courses like our equine courses are predominantly female but the machinery or crops courses, there might be only one or two females. But overall, the number is growing and that’s right across all the programs.”
Alternatives
Teagasc has also offered agriculture apprenticeships since 2023 as well as distance or part-time course as an alternative method of learning.
Butler said that these alternatives have been popular with people that are already in employment.
“We found in the first two years that the majority of our apprentices are older than the students that are coming in for full-time courses. You could have average ages of 22 to 23 and older, and maybe 17 to 18 in the full-time courses.
“We haven’t seen a move from one to the other (full-time to apprenticeships) but we are certainly keen to make the apprenticeships more visible to people.”
Throughout March, four Teagasc colleges held open days for prospective students looking for full-time Level 5 agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry courses. \ Claire Nash
Demand
Applications for courses are already open and Butler said that numbers are slightly ahead of last year.
For any potential applicants that need advice on any of the courses on offer, they can ask a member of the Teagasc team.
“We find that the spring open days are typically a busier open day, there are a lot of students that are facing into the Leaving Cert or in fifth year and they’re having a look around at what’s there. All of the colleges would have had very good demand,” added Butler.
“People came with their parents, guardians or friends so you find that people come to review the courses as a family. It’s also always good, we welcome back past students and their sons and daughters are considering it.”
Read more
Coolmore Stud hosts careers day for over 700 students
Pallaskenry Agricultural College party
Studying agriculture in Northern Ireland
‘It felt silly to say I wanted to be a farmer living in the city’
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