New research from Bord Bia shows 78% of recent graduates are worried about their employability due to a lack of real world experience.

The data also highlights an entry‑level paradox, with 84% saying it feels impossible to get experience without a job and impossible to get a job without experience.

In addition, 37% of those surveyed expressed a desire to continue their studies into postgraduate level, but 59% say this feels financially out of reach. 

When asked what matters most after college, financial stability came out on top, followed closely by long‑term career opportunities and a guaranteed placement with a 'real' company.

Bord Bia Talent Academy

The research is landing at a critical moment for the agri‑food sector, which continues to face talent pipeline challenges.

The findings also come as applications open for the Bord Bia Talent Academy.

According to Bord Bia, this is a fully funded master’s programme with a 95% employment rate that combines academic learning with paid industry experience, international placements and structured pathways into careers across Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture industries.

The new research from Bord Bia shows young people want financial stability, practical experience and a clear route into industry.

That’s exactly what the international graduate programme delivers, according to Karen Connaughton, industry talent manager at Bord Bia.

She said participants in the programme gain "structured, national and international, real world learning that builds confidence, capability and long‑term prospects in one of Ireland’s most important sectors".

Graduate pressures

According to the Bord Bia survey, beyond financial and employability worries, other pressures are affecting the group.

78% feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of career choices, unsure where to begin.

And 7 in 10 say they feel like they are falling behind when they see peers announcing jobs on social media, adding emotional pressure that’s shaping early career decisions.

Mallaidh McGoona, who completed the Bord Bia international graduate programme in 2025 said that before joining, she felt overwhelmed by choice and unsure where to start or how to get the experience employers were seeking.

"I have now been working at DMC Foods since completing the programme and it genuinely supercharged the trajectory of my career," she said.

The international graduate programme places participants in one of Bord Bia’s overseas offices, where they complete a major, minor and group learning assignment and earn an internationally recognised MSc in global business practice with UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

Designed for final year students graduating in 2027 and recent graduates with 0–2 years’ experience, the programme provides a full scholarship, covering all tuition fees and providing a tax‑free bursary of €2,078–€2,300 per month for the 24.5‑month duration.

Graduates develop competencies in a range of areas, including: export development, market insights, strategic marketing, customer value propositions, digital global business, and supply chain and sustainability.

Participants have progressed into roles such as marketing executive; brand manager; business development executive; analyst; and buying assistant.

Applications are open for the September 2027 intake.