Bord Bia has launched its 2021 postgraduate programme, with up to 80 fully-funded places on offer at its talent academy.
The programme includes a fully funded masters at University College Dublin (UCD) Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School; a tax-free bursary (€25,000-30,000); and a guaranteed work placement through the agency’s domestic and global network.
The Bord Bia talent academy was established to help identify and develop future executive talent for Ireland’s food and drink industry, as it looks to grow and diversify into new markets.
Talent Academy
The academy offers five individual programmes through corporate and academic partnerships in areas of sales; marketing; sustainability; consumer insights; innovation; supply chain; and procurement.
Applications are currently open for the marketing fellowship and international graduate programmes run in partnership with UCD Smurfit School.
The marketing fellowship is intended for graduates with a few years’ work experience, while the international graduate programme is open to new graduates with limited or no experience.
According to Michael Murphy, organisation and industry talent director with Bord Bia, the potential opportunities for graduates in the industry are immense.
“Last year Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture exports reached a record €13 billion, delivering 67% growth in a decade.
Bord Bia is actively seeking to recruit and retain top class talent for this dynamic and growing sector, with the talent academy acting as an incubator for individuals seeking to supercharge their careers.
The talent academy programmes, some of which have been running for over 10 years, attract a wide range of graduates across many disciplines and third-level colleges across the country.
Successful applicants will be placed into one of Bord Bia’s 15 international locations – from Singapore to Spain, Nigeria to the Nordics – or with food and drink industry companies both domestically and internationally, depending on the specific programme.
“Since 2009, more than 950 export development assignments have been undertaken by participants in the various programmes, supporting Irish food and drinks businesses to grow and develop in key international markets, with an estimated exports/sales value of over €378 million,” Murphy said.
The closing date for applications for the marketing fellowship is November 27, 2020, and programmes commence in mid-spring 202.
The closing date for the international graduate programme is January 29, 2021, and programmes commence in mid-summer 2021.