Preparations are well underway for the “Horticulture Open Day” in Kildalton College later this week, according to education partner Waterford Institute of Technology.
Kildalton College offers level 5 and 6 horticulture courses and, in conjunction with WIT, also offers a 3-year Horticulture level 7 degree qualification.
Prospective students are invited to visit Kildalton College from 10:00am to 1:00pm this Friday (March 1).
Visitors to the Kildalton College Open Day will see the facilities in the Horticulture Unit including: a 2,200m² glasshouse complex; propagation tunnels; outdoor and indoor vegetable and fruit production; and large orchard and cut foliage plantation.
Dr. Cara Daly, programme leader of the WIT Horticulture Bachelor of Science, commented ahead of the event saying: “We encourage prospective students and their parents to attend the Kildalton College Open Day to meet the staff and see for themselves the excellent facilities in Kildalton College.
“Our WIT Horticulture degree students spend three to four days per week in Kildalton College and getting from Waterford City to Kildalton College is easy because during term-time, WIT runs a free shuttle bus to ferry students to and from class there.
Opportunities
“Most newcomers to horticulture are not aware of the range of diverse career opportunities that exist in the horticulture industry and the WIT degree gives an excellent education in all the major areas.
“In a recent graduate survey, 88% of our highly-skilled graduates had found full-time positions within three months of finishing their horticulture course and job prospects for graduates are only set to grow in the years ahead.”
Dr. Daly explained that while first year places are offered via the CAO – course code WD096 – applicants who have studied Horticulture at level 5 and level 6 are encouraged to apply directly to WIT via ‘advanced entry’ for a place in year two of WIT’s Horticulture degree.
We have graduates all over the world working as turfgrass supervisors, greenkeepers, nursery managers, researchers, teachers, landscape designers and contractors.
“We also produce many talented craft gardeners and fruit and veg producers who go on to work in private and public gardens.”
Agricultural options
The careers day will not just focus on horticulture, however, with the full range of agricultural options also on offer from Kildalton on the day.
Speaking to AgriLand, assistant principal at Kildalton James Ryan said: “The Kildalton careers day focuses on agricultural courses. It ranges from level 5 up to level 8 degrees.
“Tours on the day commence at 11:00am where prospective students will see a range of enterprises including dairy, beef, tillage and sheep.”