07 March 2023

Na buntáistí a bhaineann le staidéar i gColáiste Talmhaíochta

Le Seosamh O’Deá, Múinteoir i gColáiste Chill Daltún.

Ag ár lá oscailte i gColáiste Chill Daltún le déanaí, bhí mé ag caint le tuismitheoir agus chuir sí ceist an-simplí orm – conas a bhainfeadh a mac nó a hiníon leas as dul go coláiste talmhaíochta. Chuir sé orm smaoineamh ar na buntáistí ar fad atá feicthe agam ag mic léinn thar na blianta.

Is í an chúis is soiléire ná an Teastas Glas nó an tArdteastas sa Talmhaíocht a bhaint amach. Leis seo tagann buntáistí airgeadais ar nós infheistíocht mhéadaithe i gcabhair deontais feirme chomh maith le dliteanas cánach laghdaithe i leith cánacha ar nós Dleacht Stampa.

Ach tá an fheirm níos tábhachtaí ná na heispéiris phearsanta ar nós cairde nua a dhéanamh, fanacht as baile agus foghlaim conas airgead, am, staidéar agus mothúcháin a bhainistiú! Ar go leor bealaí is é seo an chéad uair a ghlacfaidh roinnt daoine óga freagracht as cinntí laethúla a dhéanamh dóibh féin. Is cuid iontach den chúrsa é taithí oibre le mic léinn talmhaíochta na chéad bhliana ag déanamh 8 seachtaine ar fheirmeacha agus an dara bliain ag déanamh socrúcháin 16 seachtaine. Chuaigh cuid de na mic léinn dara bliain go dtí an Nua-Shéalainn, an Astráil, Meiriceá agus an RA ar shocrúchán oibre le déanaí.

Dóibh siúd a bhaineann taitneamh as an spórt bíonn na comórtais bhliantúla iomána, peil agus peil na mban ar siúl idir na coláistí. Is bealach iontach é chun aithne a chur ar dhaltaí eile agus iad ag taisteal chuig cluichí ar fud na tíre. Is bealach iontach é freisin chun cuimhní buana a chruthú. Déanann mic léinn an earraigh ionadaíocht ar a gcuid coláistí ag lá na ndúshlán scileanna idir choláistí Macra, áit a raibh siad in iomaíocht le deisceabail mar chaint phoiblí, réiteach fadhbanna, tiomáint tarracóra agus breithmheas stoic.

Dírítear níos mó agus níos mó sna coláistí ar fhoghlaim fheidhmeach lasmuigh den seomra ranga. Sampla de seo is ea na cuairteanna feirme a thugann na scoláirí ar fheirmeacha, ar imeachtaí feirmeoirí agus ar ghnóthaí talmhaíochta. Tugann daltaí dúshlán a gcuid smaointeoireachta trí fheiceáil agus cloisteáil faoina n-oibríonn agus cad nach n-oibríonn ar an bhfeirm. Faigheann daltaí bliana áirithe an deis ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar Éirinn ag imeachtaí breithiúnais beostoic nó scileanna. Is deis ar leith é seo taisteal a chomhcheangal lena spéis i mbeostoc.

Ach ar go leor bealaí is é an rud is tábhachtaí a d’fhéadfadh duine a bheith ag críochnú a chuid staidéir i gColáiste Talmhaíochta ná muinín. Is é atá i gceist agam leis sin ná muinín ina leibhéal scileanna, muinín ina leibhéal eolais agus muinín as a gcumas an t-eolas sin a chur i bhfeidhm ar an bhfeirm. Le béim mhór ar scileanna, ar thaithí oibre agus ar fhoghlaim fheidhmeach, mar a deirtear, “is trína dhéanamh a bhfoghlaimímid”.

The benefits of studying in an Agricultural College

By Joe Day, teacher in Kildalton College.

At our recent Kildalton College Open Day, I was talking to a parent and she asked a very straightforward question of me – how would her son or daughter benefit from going to an agricultural college? It got me thinking of all the advantages I have seen students gain over the years.

The most obvious reason is to achieve the Green Cert or Advanced Certificate in Agriculture. With this comes financial benefits such as increased grant aid farm investment as well as reduced tax liability for taxes such as Stamp Duty.

But far more important is the personal experiences such as making new friends, staying away from home and learning to manage money, time, study and emotions! In many ways, it is the first time some young people will have taken responsibility for making every day decisions for themselves.

Work experience is a fantastic part of the course with first year agricultural students doing 8 weeks on farms and the second years completing a 16 weeks placement. Some of the second year students have gone to New Zealand, Australia, America and the UK on recent work placements.

For those that enjoy sport, there are the annual inter-colleges GAA competitions. It is a great way to get to know other students as they travel to matches across the country and it is also a great way to create lasting memories.

Each spring, students represent their colleges at the Macra inter-colleges skills challenges day, where they compete across disciplines such as public speaking, problem solving, tractor driving and stock judging.

More and more focus in the colleges is on applied learning outside the classroom. An example of this is the visiting that the students undertake to farms, farmer events and agribusinesses. Students get to challenge their thinking by seeing and hearing about what works and what doesn’t work on the farm.

Some years, students get the opportunity to represent Ireland at livestock judging or skills events. This is a unique opportunity to combine travel with their interest in livestock.

In many ways, the most important thing that a person completing their studies in an Agricultural College gains is confidence. By that, I mean confidence in their level of skills, confidence in their level of knowledge and confidence in their ability to apply that knowledge on the farm. With such a large emphasis on skills, work experience and applied learning, as the saying goes, ‘it is by doing that we learn’.