Employment Opportunities for Agricultural Graduates
ASA Forum
Agriculture and Food Science Centre, Room G15, UCD
Thursday 26th November 2009 at 7.00pm
This special ASA Forum is aimed at discussing and exploring how graduates can make the most of the current difficult employment climate. The event is targeted at all graduates but will be of particular benefit to recent graduates.
Programme
Welcome
· Dr. Frank O’Mara, ASA President
Getting and Keeping a Job
· Owen Brennan, Managing Director, Devenish Nutrition
Making it on Your Own – how to set up and work for yourself
· James Fitzgerald, Agri Consultant
Moving into another Sector; What skills have Ags. got?
· David Walsh, Founder and CEO, Netwatch
Thinking of Upskilling? Options for postgraduate studies and training for emerging sectors
· Dr. Karina Pierce, UCD
Speakers
Owen Brennan, Managing Director, Devenish Nutrition
Owen holds a B.Agr.Sc. (1982) from UCD and an MBA from the SmurfitBusinessSchool. He is Managing Director of Devenish Nutrition, an Agri-technology company based in Belfast and dedicated to intensive research, development and manufacturing of quality premixes and speciality products for the intensive livestock sector. Owen has served as President of the Northern Ireland Grain Trade Association and as Chairman of the Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland.
He will discuss what employers look for in CVs/application forms, what they look for at interviews, and what the successful candidate needs to do in the early critical months.
>>Click here for full presentation
James Fitzgerald, Agri Consultant
James graduated with a B.Agr.Sc. from UCD in 1989. He started his career with Consultancy and Agri-merchant company, Gaynor Corr & Associate, Co Laois. He set up his own Consultancy Business in 1995, providing a wide range of services and employing advisors and planners. Due to recent challenges, he has had to think outside the box and has diversified into other areas.
He will outline the opportunities for graduates to set up their own Consultancy Businesses and the key ingredients for success.
>>Click here for full presentation
David Walsh, CEO Netwatch
David graduated with a B.Agr.Sc. from UCD in 1988. After working with Keenan’s for 14 years, he became Sales & Marketing Manager with JCB in 2002. David with business partner Niall Kelly formed Netwatch in Carlow in 2003, as the first Irish company to use modern communication technologies to provide remote visual monitoring systems to businesses throughout Ireland and abroad. Netwatch currently employs 70 staff with 1100 clients across Ireland, UK, mainland Europe, USA and South Africa. David is currently President of the County Carlow Chamber of Commerce.
He will talk about the transferable skills that Ag. Graduates bring with them to other sectors of the economy and how they can exploit these skills.
>>Click here for full presentation
Dr. Karina Pierce, UCD
Karina Pierce graduated with B.Agr.Sc. (Animal Science) in 2001 and subsequently with a PhD in Animal Nutrition from UCD in 2005. She gained broad experience in the area of Dairy Cow Nutrition having spent 2 years in the feed industry as a Nutritionist for a prominent animal feed manufacturer. Her current position is Lecturer in Dairy Science at UCD where the main responsibilities include lecturing to Agricultural Science students, coordinating the new Dairy Business Programme and coordinating an active Research Programme.
She will outline current post-graduate opportunities both in Ireland and internationally, and will also discuss training options and upskilling in the context of emerging areas such as the Green Economy.
Marian Scott, Frank O'Mara, Karina Pierce & David Walsh