UCC has announced the opening of its part-time graduate development programme – which will lead to a Diploma in Leadership for the Agri-food Sector.
According to UCC, the Diploma in Leadership for the Agri-Food Sector is “designed to meet the career development needs of graduates” working in the agricultural sector’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), with “particular focus on soft skills”.
UCC noted that, while larger agri-food businesses have their own development programmes for graduates, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often don’t have the resources to provide this – with the diploma a viable alternative.
Now in its second year of delivery, this relatively new course is designed to provide recent graduates and “high potential employees” with the “transversal management and leadership skills required to enhance their early career performance and development”.
Developed to meet the needs of the agriculture and food sector, topics covered in the diploma course include team building, project management, communication and presentation skills, commercial acumen, decision making, business planning and LEAN.
The following type of graduates are encouraged to attend:
- Graduates who are working in an SME agriculture or agri-food company, and have the ambition and motivation to develop their management and leadership skills;
- Graduates who have graduated in recent years, ideally but not necessarily from food science, agri or related disciplines;
- For applicants without a Level 8 degree, prior experiential learning and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be taken into account.
The programme design facilitates individuals who are working full time, and who wish to study part time, in an integrative manner with their careers.
10 two-day interactive workshops will be held, alternating between UCC, online workshops and off-site central locations.
Prof. Alan Kelly of the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences in UCC’s College of Science, Engineering and Food Science is the academic director.
An in-company project will be undertaken by each student, which the university says “enables course participants to gain an in-depth appreciation of a topic of their choice within their company”.
The modules covered in the course are:
- Introduction to management;
- Communication and presentation skills;
- Performance management;
- Business planning;
- Time management;
- Project management and team working;
- LEAN principles;
- Decision making and critical thinking;
- Finance for non-financial managers;
- Innovation, sales and marketing.
The programme runs in 10 two-day workshops from September up to May of next year.
The net cost for a participating company is €5,200 per student. This represents a 35% subsidy from Macra Agricultural Skillnet.
This figure includes tuition, course manuals, off-site room hire where applicable, lunches and refreshment breaks.
Places on the programme are limited to 20. Those interested can apply here.