Institute of Technology Carlow Curriculum

When the student has identified a placement on a farm or agribusiness, the work placement coordinator assigned to the student will contact the host farmer / agribusiness to discuss the placement in detail. The key person taking responsibility for supervising the student is nominated and given a copy of the Professional Placement Manual. At the beginning of the placement the student and the placement coordinator meet to ensure the student is fully aware of the supports available to him/her and has a full understanding of both their academic and work obligations in respect of the Placement. During the placement the student is visited by his/her work placement coordinator to report on the progress of the placement and to address any problems that may have arisen. The professional placement module has been specifically designed to allow learners in Sustainable Farm Management and Agribusiness, companies and organisations to develop and enhance the sustainability of their businesses in an effective manner while at the same time enabling learners of the IT Carlow to acquire professional experience early in their careers. The professional placement module is of 24 week duration which will be undertaken in blocks of at least six weeks in duration and must include placement in a tillage enterprise, a livestock enterprise and an agri-business upstream (e.g. materials or input provider) or down stream (e.g. processor) to the farm. In circumstances where placement restrictions apply owing to personal limitations, or when unfavourable economic conditions exist, alternative educational and practical programmes will be arranged for the benefit of learners. This would be seen as a most exceptional situation and every effort will be made to ensure that learners avail of the Professional Placement Programme. It is hoped that the college will be able to place learners in organisations such as: • The Department of the Environment • The EPA • Selected farms with a strong business acumen • Agribusinesses upstream or down stream to the farm enterprise

Opportunities will be explored to provide opportunities for professional work placements in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and on farms and agribusinesses in the EU. The aim of this will be to broaden the learner’s knowledge of different farming systems and environments. Host Farmers and Agribusinesses for Professional Work Placements and for On-Farm Visits will be selected under the following criteria: • They will be outstanding farmers in their chosen category, i.e. dairying, crop production, suckling, sheep farming, pig production, Conservation Agriculture, users of precision farming techniques, artisan food producers, organic farmers and farms using innovative techniques such as anaerobic digestion of slurry, robotic milking machines and other advanced but sustainable farming techniques. • They will have demonstrated an interest in assisting learners in the most modern farming and agribusiness techniques. Hosts will complete and sign the 'International version' of the Professional Work Placement Guide' indicating that they accept responsibility for the line management of the student while on placement at their institution. Learners will be informed that high standards of work will be expected of them during their Professional Work Placement so that both they and the farm/agribusiness achieves maximum benefit from the Placement. Should the learner fail to meet the stated standards he/she will fail this module. Despite the fact that all farms and agribusinesses have different characteristics, every effort will be made by the Institute staff to ensure consistency of the learning experience for each learner. This will be achieved by arranging formal meetings between the learners, host institution and placement coordinator during their placements so that they can be assessed and ensure that each learner will meet the QQI standard and the IT Carlow Quality Assurance Standard for the Work Placement. IT Carlow already has built up a considerable body of experience in managing Professional Work Placements for its Business programmes and this experience, plus the close cooperation with Teagasc and the Irish Farmers Association will be utilised in ensuring the consistency of this module.