After your Leaving Certificate it is possible to get a forestry qualification at Certificate, Diploma and Degree levels. To be recognised as a professional forester a minimum of a Diploma is required by a recognised college (see www.societyofirishforesters.ie).
The main colleges in Ireland that provide FETAC recognised courses in forestry are:
University College Dublin. (Degree)
Waterford Institute of Technology (Diploma and Degree)
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. (Diploma)
Ballyhaise Agricultural College. (Certificate)
These colleges will also reserve a places for mature students on some of these programmes.
What are the typical routes into this sector?
There are opportunities to enter this sector either from secondary school or from college. Many of the operative type jobs are genarally taken by those who have not completed or partly completed their second level education.
Alternatively, those who have a recognised third level qualification would tend to be employed in higher level supervisory or managerial type positions.
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Questions about the sector
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Advice for people interested in this area
Engineer - Chemical
James Ryan "The thing I like most about the graduate programme is the amount of variety you experience on a day to day basis"
Professional Forester
Paulina Pawlukojc "This job is for someone who is an outdoor person, who loves nature, enjoys walking and doesn't mind the weather"
Harvesting Forester
Mark O Loughlin "I always took part in outdoor activities in school and during my College years I gained a greater insight into the sector by doing part time Forestry work"
Business Analyst
Fintan O'Brien "I prepare management accounts for different sections of the company and I am also involved in writing business and strategic plans"
