Agri Aware and the Laois & Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) are delighted to launch its new ‘Intro to Ag’ short course for Transition Year (TY) students.
Launched at this year’s Tullamore Show in Co. Offaly, the ‘Intro to Ag’ short course is the first of its kind that aims to encourage the take up of the agriculture science subject at Leaving Certificate and to showcase the various career opportunities the agriculture sector has to offer.
In recent years, Agri Aware has brought both environmental and equine focused short courses to secondary schools across the country to TY students and the ‘Intro to Ag’ short course is the latest offering in the TY space.
The Intro to Ag programme will be piloted in LOETB schools for the 2024-2025 academic year before being made available to schools nationwide in 2025-2026.
Speaking at the launch of the Intro to Ag programme at the Tullamore Show, Agri Aware Chairman Shay Galvin said: “Filling what we saw was a gaping hole in the TY space to encourage the take up of agriculture science was a long-standing priority for us.
“We are delighted to team up with the LOETB on this programme and look forward to rolling it out in LOETB schools in 2024-2025.
“At Junior Cycle level, students get an opportunity to study all subjects that they can continue to study at senior cycle level, be it languages, science or hands on subjects like woodwork and metalwork.
“However, one outlier is agriculture science. A student who knows nothing about agriculture does not get the chance to learn about it until they reach Senior Cycle and that’s if, and a big if, they decide to take it on as one of their optional subjects to study.
“That means, every year students are being lost as they don’t have an opportunity to see what the subject entails and the importance of having that basic understanding of agriculture and food production.
“This is exactly why the ‘Intro to Ag’ short course is being rolled out, to enhance agricultural literacy among those from a non-farming background and to give these students a flavour for what it would be like to study Agriculture Science for the Leaving Certificate.
“This, in the hope, is to increase the take up of students studying the subject at Leaving Certificate and pursuing a career in the sector.”
Echoing the comments of Agri Aware Chairman Shay Galvin, LOETB’s Chief Executive Joe Cunningham, said: “The unique connection with the country’s largest indigenous industry sets Leaving Certificate agricultural science apart.
“Current challenges are starting to affect the broader industry, including potential recruitment to the sector. We are delighted to partner with Agri Aware in piloting ‘Intro to Ag’, a short course designed to introduce students and teachers to the subject of agricultural science. It is hoped this programme can showcase Ireland’s vast knowledge and expertise, and inspire young people to engage with the agricultural sector, ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
“Creating clear pathways into, within, and from Further Education and Training is a top priority for us at Laois and Offaly ETB. The ‘Intro to Ag’ taster programme serves as the first step in establishing these pathways from schools to Further Education and Training.
“Recently, there has been a decline in first-choice preferences for agriculture courses, which could have a detrimental impact on the sector.
“This taster programme offers senior cycle students a chance to explore agriculture and its opportunities, encouraging those who might not have considered agricultural science to do so. Ultimately, the aim is to attract more students to the sector and sustain our farming families and their communities.”
