‘Tiger’s death’ has led to resurgence in CAO third level applications

THE days of agriculture and food being unfashionable as a career – a trend that peaked during the height of the Celtic Tiger era from 2005 through to 2007 – are well and truly over, with CAO applications for ag. courses again rising steeply this year.

Since the last year of the Tiger’s reign – 2007 – CAO applications for agri. course have risen by approximately 150% as students look far more favourably on careers in the food and ag. related industries.

This year, a total of 1,533 students applied ‘first choice’ for third level ag. courses at Levels 6, 7 and 8 – certificate, diploma and degree – up 10% on the corresponding figure for 2013.

Back in 2007, that figure had dropped to as low as 604, in 2006 it was 650 and in 2005 it was 627. Points levels for third level agri. courses in the 2014/2015 academic year are now likely to increase as well – last year, the points requirement for the main Ag. Science degree course at UCD stood at 455.

Just over 73,000 students have this year submitted applications for all third level CAO courses in 2014/2015 – total applications for ag. courses that include ‘down the preference’ choices stand at 5,163.

Teagasc Galway/Clare Regional Manager, Brendan Heneghan, told the Farming Tribune, that over the past six to seven year there had been a rebalancing in terms of education and job opportunities in Ireland.

“One of the things that we really do well in Ireland is in the production of top quality food. There really is a whole range of opportunities in this sector, providing highly skilled and well paid jobs.

“Once the economic and construction bubble burst, a lot of people had to go back to basics. Agriculture and food has always been one of the mainstays of the Irish economy and overall this will continue to be one of the really solid building blocks of the economy,” said Brendan Heneghan.

He also pointed out that for example the third level agri-food course developed by Mountbellew Agricultural College and GMIT had been one of the great success stories in agri-education in the west over recent years.

“Tom Burke in Mountbellew Agricultural College did great work in the establishment and development of this course and it has proven itself to be a really good career base for young people interested in the agri-food sector,” said Brendan Heneghan.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.