Students give rural living the thumbs-up

MOST of the agricultural science students who completed the Leaving Certificate plan to work or live in rural Ireland within the next 10 years, the findings of a survey have revealed.

Agri Aware, which conducted the survey of nearly 600 students, described the results as “Straight As for rural Ireland.” The survey indicated that 64% believe the countryside has enough to offer young people who want to live or work there, a 19% increase since 2006.

A total of 70% of students surveyed believe a qualification is imperative when pursuing a career in agriculture, but 74% criticised the current syllabus as outdated, with 54% indicating that the most desirable factor of a new one would be updated resources.

When asked which words best reflect the students’ views on farming as a career, 65% said “interesting” and 41% said “rewarding”, compared with 50% and 30% in 2006.

The response from 11% was “poorly paid” and 10% said “boring”, versus 36% and 17% in 2006. A total of 6% said “poor quality of life” and 4% said “unrewarding”, compared with 10% and 12% in 2006

Some 29.2% of the students plan to begin farming immediately or study for an agriculture-related degree, with 47% saying “income” and “quality of life” are the greatest incentives to pursue a career in agriculture.

Agri Aware chairman Mairead Lavery said it is reassuring to see a growing interest in rural life among Leaving Certificate students.

“With a downturn in the economy, it will be necessary for the indigenous sector to push the country forward. This survey indicates that there is an upcoming educated workforce, which is keen to pursue a career in agriculture. This will undoubtedly encourage economic growth in rural Ireland and create a newfound interest in Irish farming.”