People in Laois with little to no farming experience are being offered the opportunity to develop agricultural skills and undertake a career in the farming industry.
This is thanks to a new collaboration between FRS Farm Services and the LOETB in a project known as ‘Farm Traineeship – Intro to Agri’
It was established as a means of providing a pathway into careers in farming for those who don’t come from a traditional agricultural background.
It is thought the programme could be of particular interest to people who are considering a career change, or who have recently completed their educational pursuits.
Participants will develop the knowledge, skills and competencies to work on a modern commercial farm.
Those who successfully complete the programme will also be offered employment from FRS Farm Services.
Under the fully funded programme, participants will receive a mix of practical and theoretical training.
They will be taught a number of different skills and techniques, including how to milk cows, animal handling and care, farm safety, calving cows and calf rearing, operating farm machinery, sustainable soil and grass management, as well as how to safely use all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid and health and safety.
Learners will also have the chance to shadow professionals and learn about various aspects of the sector.
The course is full time and will run from Monday to Friday for a period of six months beginning in October 2024.
The primary location is LOETB Portlaoise, with various other elements and practical training taking place within close proximity.
Jobseekers who partake in the Farm Traineeship will retain their payment benefits for the duration of the programme.
A total of 15 places will be available in this initial intake and the deadline to apply for participation is before the end of September 2024.
For further information or applications to participate can be found here.
“Participants won’t just develop invaluable skills, but they will also get to explore a different career path that might not have been previously accessible,” said LOETB Chief Executive, Joe Cunningham.
Colin Donnery, Group CEO of FRS Co-Op also spoke about the programme. “It is clear that we need to offer more pathways for people to pursue a career in farming,” he said.
“Everyone in the agri sector knows there is plenty of work available, the challenge is finding people with the skills to do it.”
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