Photo: Ray Ryan

Jobseekers see a bright future in local farming

JOBSEEKERS are seeing a brighter future in farming as the demand for places to study farming and agri-related subjects at Mountbellew’s Franciscan Agricultural College is set to exceed capacity this autumn. And the Galway Chairperson of the IFA also says it is a clear indication that more young people now see farming as their future.
Over 300 will be studying either full-time or part-time at the college in the coming year and if an expected on-line course is added to the curriculum there the college will have reached “more than capacity” and additional staff will be required to cope with the numbers according to principal Tom Burke.
This is for people under 40 who have qualifications in other trades, especially in the building sectors such as electricians, plumbers, blocklayers, plasterers etc who now want to go into farming due to the downturn.