June 6 ^th Deadline for Teagasc Courses

23 May, 2003

Young people interested in enrolling in nationally accredited Teagasc courses, which start next September, are reminded that the closing date for applications is Friday, June 6^th .

Vocational certificate courses, all nationally accredited by the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), are on offer in six agricultural colleges and four horticultural colleges. All courses are geared to the training needs of young people opting for careers in farming, food horticulture, landscape horticulture, forestry, horses and in all aspects of the services and processing sectors of the agri-food industry.

Announcing details of the 2003 courses, Paddy Browne, Head of Training with Teagasc, said all courses on offer have been radically up-graded over the past two years.

"Young people entering our colleges in 2003 can be assured of receiving training which is benchmarked to the highest international standards. Participants will also have the advantage of being able to progress from vocational certificate level to third level courses run jointly by Teagasc and institutes of technology and from there to university degree level. This offers exciting opportunities for all potential participants," he said.

He said that new entrants to Teagasc college training in 2003 will benefit from a major upgrading of college facilities.

"Over the past three years, close on €20m has been invested in colleges, ensuring that facilities are on a par with the best internationally," he added.

He also reminded young people who are planning to take up careers as full-time or part-time farmers that, in addition to the vital necessity for training for a rewarding career, it is also obligatory in order to qualify for vital national and EU support.

"For example, there is a requirement that all young people born after 1 January, 1968 must have completed the Vocational Certificate in Agriculture in order to qualify for stamp duty relief and a rang of farm investment and quota-based schemes," he stressed.

Full details of all Teagasc courses are available in the 2003 Prospectus, available from colleges and Teagasc advisory and training centres. Detailed information is also available on the Teagasc website at www.teagasc.ie.

Application forms are available from colleges or Teagasc centres and can also be downloaded from the Teagasc website.

The following is an outline of the main courses which commence September and the contact details from the colleges which provide them.