The ‘Farm Traineeship – Intro to Ag’ was established as a means of providing a pathway into careers in farming for those who don’t necessarily come from an agricultural background. It’s thought the programme could be of particular interest to those who are considering a career change, or who have recently completed their schooling and are keen to explore the employment possibilities offered by farming.
Participants will be helped to 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. While this particular programme is specifically aimed at people living in Laois and Offaly, FRS Farm Services and LOETB hopes it will serve as a model for launching similar initiatives around the country, with a view to increasing the number of skilled people available to work on farms.
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. The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
Colin Donnery, Group CEO of FRS Co-Op, said: “It is clear that we need to offer more pathways for people to pursue a career in farming. Everyone in the agri sector knows there is plenty of work available, the challenge is finding people with the skills to do it. At FRS, over the last number of years we have been able to attract people to work in farming that wouldn’t traditionally have been from a farming background. We also have more women working with us on farms. We believe this approach is helping to bring new life to the sector, adding new ideas and more diversity. Our aim with this programme is to sow the seeds that will attract even more new people to farming. Hopefully, once it is complete, there will be a bumper crop of new talent with farming skills. Should this model prove successful we would like to see it extended to other parts of the country. The need for more people with farming capabilities extends far beyond Laois and Offaly, so we are keen to explore the possibilities of where else this programme might run in the near future."