Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, offers residential and non-residential courses in 15 colleges - 11 agricultural and four horticultural. All 11 colleges offers a one-year certificate in agriculture. This is the biggest course in terms of student numbers, according to Dr David O'Connor, Teagasc's head of education.
"It's aimed at young farmers and people who want to work in the agriculture industry." Typically, 200 of the 900 or so students do not come from farm backgrounds.
A number of two-year courses allow students with the agriculture certificate to further specialise in areas such as farm machinery, pigs, poultry and dairying.
There is also a two-year certificate in farming (general agriculture) open to those who have completed the certificate in agriculture. This involves two years' work experience on a farm (with at least 12 weeks on a farm other than the home farm). Students must also do project work and 80 hours of formal course work.
For those interested in horticulture, Teagasc offers modular courses, with the emphasis on amenity horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, while three other colleges - An Grianan, Kildalton and Warrenstown - cater for both production and amenity horticulture.
A number of PLC colleges also offer horticulture courses, while UCD offers both commercial and landscape horticulture in its agricultural science degree.
A substantial non-means-tested grant aid is available for students on full-time course, courtesy of Teagasc and the European Social Fund.
