have many of ye got a degree?

f140

well are there many of you farmers on here with degress? or would you encourage your children to get a degree first even though they will be taking over the farm but just to have something as a back up plan?

Bizzum

f140 wrote: »

well are there many of you farmers on here with degress?

How are ya fixed yourself f140?

galway 4 sam

Bizzum wrote: »

How are ya fixed yourself?

I have a civil engineering degree work full time. Run the farm part time.

Black Smoke

What's a degree?

Bizzum

Black Smoke wrote: »

What's a degree?

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/degree

Take your pick:D

moy83

I have no degree even though I got the course I wanted in the college beside me , I deferred for a year and went plastering instead . Talk about sorry now .
Whatever my two boys want to be whether its a binman, farmer or president of Ireland they will spend some time in a college first that will qualify them for a cushy job that they can always fall back on .
In saying that my father hounded me to go to college and didnt succeed , hopefully I'll be more persuasive

Black Smoke

Bizzum wrote: »

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/degree

Take your pick:D

Pass leaving cert here. I'm struggling my whole life because of it -:)

bogman_bass

Physics degree myself.
I always said I wanted to farm because I wanted to and not becuase I had to.

johnpawl

ya have a degree too, handy to do 180 hours to get the green cert

Bodacious

Degree in agriculture but never worked in agriculture sector, always construction and i chose agriculture over Construction Economics DIT and i ended up a surveyor, complete U turn:D

Loved my course though and wouldnt change a thing, a degree is only a starting block and demonstrates that you have the ability to learn

Username John

johnpawl wrote: »

ya have a degree too, handy to do 180 hours to get the green cert

Same here.

nashmach

Degree here too - completely different from agriculture though.

Wasn't quick enough for the 180 hours

Figerty

Ya, Degree and Masters. Degree was the best move I ever made.. broke the poverty cycle and avoided having to head for London like my aunts and uncles had to.
180 cert was handy to get afterwards.

Go as far as you can with your education and have something to fall back on or to improve your way of working on the farm if that is your intention.

freedominacup

My older kids have been told and understand that no-one will be taking over here without a degree. I don't particularly care what course they do but they will have a qualification for a raft of reasons,

1. A fallback position.
2. I'll know that they have chosen farming despite having given themselves another option
3. Ag colleges and teacher training colleges should all be closed. They just encourage insular thinking. You go to college for a period which in normal circumstances means you meet new people from different backgrounds and world views and your mind should be opened a bit. In the case of Ag and Teaching colleges you go to college for a while with people who are basically the same as you background etc and everything there re-enforces your worldview and leads you to question very little. I want my children to have a much more rounded education than I received
4. Everybody needs a few years in their late teens and early twenties where there's a bit less pressure. Too many of us left school did the year and were working at home full-time for little money at 18-19.
5. Having seen the fun my wife and other friends and relations had in college it is one of my bigger regrets that I didn't put the head down even a small bit doing the leaving and get enough points to haven gotten an offer.

martin.covan

freedominacup wrote: »

4. Everybody needs a few years in their late teens and early twenties where there's a bit less pressure. Too many of us left school did the year and were working at home full-time for little money at 18-19.
5. Having seen the fun my wife and other friends and relations had in college it is one of my bigger regrets that I didn't put the head down even a small bit doing the leaving and get enough points to haven gotten an offer.

Agreed,although she married you after,so you didn't totally lose out!

Commerce degree from UCD myself, practicing accountant and dairy farmer.

bbam

Two degrees
Engineering and Business Managment..

Would definitely encourage anyone who has the ability to go ahead with further education if its possible and it doesn't have to be to degree level, its a good fall back and definitely broadens the way the mind thinks.. the future for many farms means part time will be the norm.

FarmerWatch

I have an IT degree myself (mainly because my Dad insisted on it) but he barely got his Intercert becauuse he was needed at home on the farm.

freedominacup

martin.covan wrote: »

Agreed,although she married you after,so you didn't totally lose out!

Have to pinch myself most days just to make sure that really happened. I couldn't have done any better and God help her she couldn't have done any worse.

kevthegaff

a degree and a masters in a completely different field although i dont regret it

JohnBoy

bbam wrote: »

Would definitely encourage anyone who has the ability to go ahead with further education if its possible and it doesn't have to be to degree level, its a good fall back and definitely broadens the way the mind thinks.. the future for many farms means part time will be the norm.

I think this is important. there can be too much focus on degrees and masters too. It sounds patronising but the world needs midle level and lower level qualifications too, and there's nothing at all wrong with them.

Something that got lost inside in the middle of the boom was apprenticeships, proper apprenticeships, not ones where lads were basically working as fully qualified after 12-18 months, but with a very narrow focus.

For example what percentage of electricians did we produce in the last 10 years that can truly work on anything other than domestic single phase installations.

Outside of construction I feel that apprenticeships suffered even more. In our "knowledge economy" we've pushed down these schemes even more and have cheapened our degrees too I think.



Personally I've an IT degree and work in IT. Was handy for the online 180 hour conversion course too.

pakalasa

Education is important, but so is life experience. Annoys me when I hear people almost dismiss themselves because they left school early. I know a lot of older peopple who would have only went to primary school, but they are some of the sharpest people I know. They know when to act the fool when it suits them too.:rolleyes:

Dozer1

Degree in Electronic Eng myself, my dad probably planned on me not getting the farm but older brother decided after his degree that he wanted to go to England and hasn't returned since.

Definitley feel its given me a more better view on life in general having gone to college, and would try my best to encourage the kid(s) to go as far as they can when the time comes.

KCTK

Business Degree and Accountant/Tax Advisor, definately would recommend the whole college scene and maybe working in a city for a few years to any young fellow/girl, but after a few years it is absolutely great to get back on the farm, also doing it because you want to and not becasuse you have to is great.

vanderbadger

Bodacious wrote: »

Degree in agriculture but never worked in agriculture sector, always construction and i chose agriculture over Construction Economics DIT and i ended up a surveyor, complete U turn:D

Loved my course though and wouldnt change a thing, a degree is only a starting block and demonstrates that you have the ability to learn

+1 on the ag degree, never worked in ag sector either home farm aside

Suckler

moy83 wrote: »

they will spend some time in a college first that will qualify them for a cushy job that they can always fall back on .

Sorry I have to ask what you meant by this. Since when does a degree = a cushy job? Or is this a "them boys in the office don't do half the work us real men outside do" mentality?

Seaba

Business Degree and a Master in Education and Training.
Teaching on a contract basis at the moment. Dad is the real farmer!

Have a young lad at the moment (1 yr) and one on the way (don't know if its a boy or girl) in 2 weeks approx.
Hope to God one of them will take over the farm but the main thing is that they are happy and if thats not in farming fair enough (bring the yound lad out every moment I get to look at the cattle, just in case , he can say moo so I am hopeful!)

I will let them do what they want when they get older but I will advise them to try and get some qualification, go travelling in their early 20's for a few years, get a job and have the farm part-time. We are not realistically large enough to make a living out of it full-time but having it 'on the side' is so rewarding.

hurling_lad

I have an IT degree and worked ten years as an accountant. Packed it all in earlier this year to go dairying full-time.

One issue was that my old man had no intention of pulling back until now and is still putting younger siblings through college. I'm glad that I spent my 20's & early 30's developing a real career for myself and earning enough money to build a house and start a family. Running two households and paying my mortgage from the farm for the last seven years (since I got married) would have been tight and not much fun, I'd say.

There was no succession plan in place until I made the big decision last year, so there was probably a bit of anxiety on the question for a long time (although I was living on the farm, which probably made a big difference).

Things worked out well for me to go farming when I wanted, but I could just as easily have spent my entire working life in IT in Dublin or London (where all of my friends are), married a girl from there and never come back. My friend, who was in almost exactly the same situation as me leaving college is married to an English girl in London and it would be major upheaval for him to come home now, even though his father is retirement age and still milking cows.

College is a great experience but, as with the previous poster whose brother went to England and never came back, you'd have to be careful of unintended consequences. I may have to make the same decision with my eldest young fella (assuming he wants to go farming): I'll only be 45 when he turns 18 and will still be paying a mortgage.

Muckit

freedominacup wrote: »

My older kids have been told and understand that no-one will be taking over here without a degree. I don't particularly care what course they do but they will have a qualification for a raft of reasons,

4. Everybody needs a few years in their late teens and early twenties where there's a bit less pressure. Too many of us left school did the year and were working at home full-time for little money at 18-19.
5. Having seen the fun my wife and other friends and relations had in college it is one of my bigger regrets that I didn't put the head down even a small bit doing the leaving and get enough points to haven gotten an offer.

Hi freedominacup

While I see where you are coming from with the issues you've raised, I would challenge you on some of you're thinking.

I seem to get the impression from you that you feel going to college is all fun and games when compared to staying at home and working on a farm or getting other employment. Perhaps if you want to 'waste' a bit of time, skip lectures and hang out with friends all the time. These however are the buckos that fail exams and end up bailing out a year or two down the line.

But like anything in life...
(a) You need to work hard for success.
(b) It all seems rosey from the outside.

The truth of it, having been there, is that you don't get to college by just scraping by. I did more 5am starts studying for the leaving than I've ever done since. Once in college, I worked hard and played hard. Years later, like your good wife, I'I only ever recount the funny incidents of drunken nights out, but in reality there were many more early mornings and late nights studying for exams and getting projects finished before deadlines. Time and rose tinted glasses have made these a distant memory.

Then there's the matter of simply having to LIVE, and the life skills that have to be learnt and put into practice when going to college. Having lived a fairly sheltered life in the country up until college, I'I still to this day remember the day my mother dropped me off at the house where I'd be staying in first year. The sound of their car fading into the distance as I sat on the bed. In that moment the reality of what had to go down afterwards soon hit me like a ton of bricks.

In the coming days, weeks, months, I , like most other college students, had to learn to be able to live with other strangers in a house, cook, clean and feed myself. That's before I ever stepped inside the college and had to learn to take full control of my own learning. Summer 'holidays' were spent working in the local sawmill earning enough money for rent, living expenses, books etc for the coming year. 'No mon, no fun'... more like no 'mon, no education'.

I don't want to get into an agrument about which is easier, but AT THE TIME, there were days where I would have gladly swopped shoes with a guy that had chosen to stay at home and work the home farm. Have his meals thrown up to him by his mam and his dirty socks washed, ironed and folded, have to pay no rent and be given pocket money to buy a few pints down the local where all his friends that he knew for years were.

To summarise, 'the cap and gown' are well earned. Don't let anyone or anything convince you differently.

You are dead right to persuade your kids to go to college. Education is no burden to carry. But I'd hate to think that if/when they do get going, that somewhere in the back of your head while your out mucking in the yard, you're thinking things are all rosey in the garden for them.

keep going

those that have a degree,what do you think it cost to get it and this is all the associated costs.its just that the other day i met a fella i went to school with who is working in a local bisness and i was thinking he was a smart fella and could have done anything but straight into the job he has now because there was no money due to his father dying when they were young.would 15k a year do it

ABlur

Degree and masters in food/agri. Work in the state sector and managed to persuade the bank manager to lend me some money this year to buy my farm!

JohnBoy

keep going wrote: »

those that have a degree,what do you think it cost to get it and this is all the associated costs.its just that the other day i met a fella i went to school with who is working in a local bisness and i was thinking he was a smart fella and could have done anything but straight into the job he has now because there was no money due to his father dying when they were young.would 15k a year do it

I dont know what the story is with fees these days (kinda keeping my head buried in the sand on that one for another 13 years) but the figure of 7 grand is in my head that my final year in college cost.

I funded myself from half way through second year onwwards, but didnt work at all in my final year and I think that's what I had saved+borrowed for final year.

That was 10 years ago but was all inclusive of rent, bills, travel, food, phone, fees, books, beer, everything basically. Think I had to go to my folks for a few hundred when I finished as I literally had zero money left to buy clothes or food for my first month's working afterwards.

Muckit

I would also like to say that I totally agree with you freedominacup when you mention people staying within their own 'little bubble'. Smaller educational institutions possibly foster this mentality. However similar can be said of the lad that lives at home, strays little from his own community and ends up marrying a 'second mammy.'

In this vein, it must be said that travel is also an excellent educator. It broadens ones horizons. You get to see that there is more than one way to live your life. Your way isn't always neceesarily the best or the worst way of doing things. It makes you appreciate what you have and also gives you the drive and ambition to aspire to new and better things.

Also, with the age of technology, it's easier get an education, albeit in a somewhat more informal manner. The internet and Youtube etc all open up avenues to learning about new things.

Also regardless of my own education, I'd never be so narrow minded to look down my nose at someone that had left school early or hadn't received a third level qualification. A bright intelligent person is a smart person regardless of their educational background.

Timmaay

Have a degree in Mech Engineering myself, Started doing a PhD also, however that wasn't as easy going as I thought it would be, and circumstances changed at home on the farm also! So I've spent the last year busy trying to savaged a masters out of the PhD, and run a Dairyfarm also! Funtimes, but I regret nothing, what I've learnt during my time in education will always stand to me and gives me lots of options in the future!

bogman_bass

Muckit wrote: »

Also regardless of my own education, I'd never be so narrow minded to look down my nose at someone that had left school early or hadn't received a third level qualification. A bright intelligent person is a smart person regardless of their educational background.

Yes, as I get older the more I realise that there are some very stupid people with degrees. Academic ability and inteligence dont always go hand in hand

freedominacup

Muckit wrote: »

Hi freedominacup

While I see where you are coming from with the issues you've raised, I would challenge you on some of you're thinking.

I seem to get the impression from you that you feel going to college is all fun and games when compared to staying at home and working on a farm or getting other employment. Perhaps if you want to 'waste' a bit of time, skip lectures and hang out with friends all the time. These however are the buckos that fail exams and end up bailing out a year or two down the line.

But like anything in life...
(a) You need to work hard for success.
(b) It all seems rosey from the outside.

The truth of it, having been there, is that you don't get to college by just scraping by. I did more 5am starts studying for the leaving than I've ever done since. Once in college, I worked hard and played hard. Years later, like your good wife, I'I only ever recount the funny incidents of drunken nights out, but in reality there were many more early mornings and late nights studying for exams and getting projects finished before deadlines. Time and rose tinted glasses have made these a distant memory.

Then there's the matter of simply having to LIVE, and the life skills that have to be learnt and put into practice when going to college. Having lived a fairly sheltered life in the country up until college, I'I still to this day remember the day my mother dropped me off at the house where I'd be staying in first year. The sound of their car fading into the distance as I sat on the bed. In that moment the reality of what had to go down afterwards soon hit me like a ton of bricks.

In the coming days, weeks, months, I , like most other college students, had to learn to be able to live with other strangers in a house, cook, clean and feed myself. That's before I ever stepped inside the college and had to learn to take full control of my own learning. Summer 'holidays' were spent working in the local sawmill earning enough money for rent, living expenses, books etc for the coming year. 'No mon, no fun'... more like no 'mon, no education'.

I don't want to get into an agrument about which is easier, but AT THE TIME, there were days where I would have gladly swopped shoes with a guy that had chosen to stay at home and work the home farm. Have his meals thrown up to him by his mam and his dirty socks washed, ironed and folded, have to pay no rent and be given pocket money to buy a few pints down the local where all his friends that he knew for years were.

To summarise, 'the cap and gown' are well earned. Don't let anyone or anything convince you differently.

You are dead right to persuade your kids to go to college. Education is no burden to carry. But I'd hate to think that if/when they do get going, that somewhere in the back of your head while your out mucking in the yard, you're thinking things are all rosey in the garden for them.

My wife and her siblings, my own sisters and friends did plenty of mad hours towards the end of the year. In fact my wife had to repeat a year after making a complete clusterf**k of second year. Not to many illusions here really. Having lived a college life vicariously through her and others 8-9 months college/year doesn't stack up to badly against the 7 day week on a dairy farm.

The entire life skills part of it is as important as anything TBH. Making your own way with the safety net a good bit further away than before is no bad preperation for when it's removed completely.

It's not all a bed of roses for sure but most people who have been to college would look on it as one of the better times of their lives.

Username John

Am I the only one who looks back on college as more "something that had to be done"? And not something I would like to do again...

Sure it was good craic, but I probably had better craic the first year or two after college - when I had more money, a car, just a better standard of living...

It was 4 years, just to get a piece of paper. Once I started work, I found I didn't use one bit of what I had learned in college.

As for study - I know some people studied hard, and they were the ones who got very good results - and rightly so. But then there was the rest of us, who did a bit, got through all our exams, but didn't kill ourselves by any means...

pakalasa

I thought college was tough going too. It didn't help that I cycled 30 miles round trip every day, for the first year. Everyone I knew doing an apprentice etc, always had money for socialising while I had to live on a shoestring. I don't regret doing the degree, but I don't remember it as a fun time by any means. Far away hills always seem green, I suppose.

dzer2

|Coming from a different point of view I was in the middle of three the eldest went to college started on one course and changed after a year to a different one. All the time he was in college the family was struggling to pay for his education. He made a real F**k up of his 2nd year on his course and failed all the exams and had to do the summer in dublin resitting the exams I was 17 at the time and was working for the summer and all the money was channeled into his courses again. After I left school I had to turn down a college place in engineering to get a job to allow him to finish his degree which took another 3 years. I was lucky as I got an apprenticeship in a local factory. After he finished up it was time for the sister to go to college again it drained the family of income as she went to maynooth. Thankfully she had the wherewithall to pass all her exams first time and done a masters and now is a principle in a secondary school in England. She talked me into doing night classes as the job i had paid for the course as long as I passed the exams and after 3 years i had a mechanical engineering degree. This helped in getting other employment and also the work experience has allowed me to be able to construct a lot of the farm buildings and the dewelling house rather cheaply keeping down the cost of repayments. The same can be said for the farm machinery as I can repair any of it from mechanical to electrical. My kids will be encouraged to go to college we are in the lucky position that we have being able to invest the childrens allowance in a fund for their education. They also have an interest in the farm and they buy their own animals mind them and sell them getting to keep the profit as I provide for the inputs as payment for the little jobs they do on the farm. I dont think I misswd out on the college life as my friends were at college and I managed to spend a bit of time at the college nights out.

munkus

Have a Degree and Masters in IT. Did the Masters while working full time and it was tough going, especially around spring time. I would advise anyone who can to do the Masters full time if at all possible, and before you have distractions (no disrespect) such as wife/kids.

The quality of our 3rd level education has fallen through the floor in the last ten years, which is a serious worry.

Bizzum

munkus wrote: »

The quality of our 3rd level education has fallen through the floor in the last ten years, which is a serious worry.

I have a Masters in Science (thankfully more than ten years ago:D)

I note the OP has yet to declare his hand?

Dont be daft

I've a degree too.

Have to say I'm glad its over too. Absolutely vital for my profession and it has shaped the way I think in my job but it was tough.

The first year was handy out. Exams weren't that difficult and I'd sold my car when I moved to the city so I was minted for a while.
But the last three years were tough.
Worked me arse off in pubs and studying every other minute I had. Think I went out three times in 9 months in my 3rd year. This "Ah its great craic" malarky certainly passed my by.
I remember cycling by Shanahans on the green and the smell of food was lovely, knowing I had no food in the house nor the money to go out and buy some.
I'm twice as shrewd with my money than my brothers and it was college that taught me how to be.

f140

i did an arts degree with the intention of going teaching if ever needed. Never liked college and always found it hard but it was bred into me to get a degree first and then do what you want after. throughout doing the degree i would come home in the evenings and straight up the farm. I always thought to myself i would rather pike dung rather than having to learn for exams. Never had to work going through college as the parents always paid for that and gave me money to eat there etc. I had jobs doing during the summer with a contractor but earned that hard and didnt waste it. while friends were always out getting pished with there money i would be buying tools or a power washer or something like that which i would get value out of.

I always found college hard but you do meet people from all walks of life and I will definatly insisnt on all my children on having some sort of a degree becasue even if they wont be getting the farm they will at least get some good education which will hopefully set them up for a good life.

kboc

I got a degree in Maths and a masters in Education. I teach, well, I try.


Teenagers are great despite what society says, there is no one with an out look on life like young folk.

When I am talking about exams and grades etc. etc. I offer one of my life experiences so far; I always think of some of my family, who are miserable with their jobs. I tell the kids about the "Sunday night feeling". Sitting in the house on Sunday night and saying "oh no, not this ****ing **** all over again". Nothing worst, life is miserable then. My message to them is work hard and get the best grades you can, then get the job that makes you happy, even if that is cleaning out horse **** for the rest of your days, because money doesn't really buy happiness. University is not for everybody, but Jesus make sure you have qualifications for plan b and c down the line.

K

moy83

Suckler wrote: »

Sorry I have to ask what you meant by this. Since when does a degree = a cushy job? Or is this a "them boys in the office don't do half the work us real men outside do" mentality?

No I dont mean that office boys do half the work of manual workers , thats not my mentlity what so ever .
I'm a plasterer , at the minute working for shag all just to get work . Today I was out in the rain until twelve when I had to go inside and dryline a few walls , I'll be lucky to put 100 squids in my pocket and out of that pay insurance , tax and live off it . After the day I wont have achieved anything major except covered a few blocks .
My mate went to college and is now teaching , its a short day and he gets great summer holidays , and does'nt have to be on the look out for work as it will always be there for him . His wages will be in the account every fortnight and his tax ,and pension paid for him .I know his work isnt easy , he has to put up with alot from pupils these days . I also know that at the end of the day he will have educated a classroom full of pupils a little bit more which gives him great satifaction .
What i meant by cushy was job security ,satisfaction and working conditions , which wont be had in my job

epfff

Bbs here hdip in ed
thing i take from this is most on here have degree
that not near the norm of my farming friends

bob charles

moy83 wrote: »

No I dont mean that office boys do half the work of manual workers , thats not my mentlity what so ever .
I'm a plasterer , at the minute working for shag all just to get work . Today I was out in the rain until twelve when I had to go inside and dryline a few walls , I'll be lucky to put 100 squids in my pocket and out of that pay insurance , tax and live off it . After the day I wont have achieved anything major except covered a few blocks .
My mate went to college and is now teaching , its a short day and he gets great summer holidays , and does'nt have to be on the look out for work as it will always be there for him . His wages will be in the account every fortnight and his tax ,and pension paid for him .I know his work isnt easy , he has to put up with alot from pupils these days . I also know that at the end of the day he will have educated a classroom full of pupils a little bit more which gives him great satifaction .
What i meant by cushy was job security ,satisfaction and working conditions , which wont be had in my job

and the great thing about the old system is that the guy that left school after the leaving, paid enough tax for the guy to go to college for free. great system. the educated one then made a good bit more money in the subsequent years that the poor fecker thats still plodding away. free fees was/is a joke as is the standard of 3rd level education. If I mentioned about the standard of education a few years ago people tought us Irish were at the top of the class, and not reality where is some where mid table. The one thing (of many) I missed out on in school was decent grammar and spelling of the english language

Username John

epfff wrote: »

Bbs here hdip in ed
thing i take from this is most on here have degree
that not near the norm of my farming friends

But I imagine most of the people on here are part time farmers, so the results would be skewed more towards the requirements for their non-farming job...

Username John

moy83 wrote: »

No I dont mean that office boys do half the work of manual workers , thats not my mentlity what so ever .
I'm a plasterer , at the minute working for shag all just to get work . Today I was out in the rain until twelve when I had to go inside and dryline a few walls , I'll be lucky to put 100 squids in my pocket and out of that pay insurance , tax and live off it . After the day I wont have achieved anything major except covered a few blocks .
My mate went to college and is now teaching , its a short day and he gets great summer holidays , and does'nt have to be on the look out for work as it will always be there for him . His wages will be in the account every fortnight and his tax ,and pension paid for him .I know his work isnt easy , he has to put up with alot from pupils these days . I also know that at the end of the day he will have educated a classroom full of pupils a little bit more which gives him great satifaction .
What i meant by cushy was job security ,satisfaction and working conditions , which wont be had in my job

Hi Moy,
You cant beat a wage in the account every month.

I have a similair story tho, from the opposite side
A friend of mine didn't go to college, got a trade, works for himself now, and just does enough to keep himself ticking over and is as happy as larry. He isn't very busy, but makes enough money to pay the bills and mortgage...
Often, other friends (who would have 'cushy' jobs as you describe) would wish to be as happy as him, but they aren't, cos their job has them all stressed out...

I guess it all depends on your outlook... But you need money too...

awaywithyou

graduated as a secondary teacher in 04... went off upto
meath teaching, living in navan... supposed to be for a year or 2 til i got a job at home here in kerry. didnt work out that way... stayed in meath for 7 years coming home for weekends and holidays and so on.... was teaching night classes during the week as well so was flat out 7 days a week... something had to give unfortunately and i took a career break from the teaching to go farming.

if i ever have my own children they will def be sent to college and told get a job away from farming and if they want to come back farming then fair enough no problem...

doing the green cert through the 180 hrs was seriously handy... did it below in clonakilty in the middle of summer... spent most of the time on inchydoney beach!!

J DEERE

Arts Degree and Masters (Agriculture related). Was always hellbent on farming full-time but got the education when the opportunity presented itself. Decided that teaching would be nice to tie in with part-time farming but couldn't take to it at all. I know the perks are great but I definitely think that you need to be cut out for the job. I found it very exhausting mentally and knew after a month that it wasn't the career for me. Went on then to do an agriculture related Masters after farming full-time for 18 months and loved every minute of it.

Im happy that I had the opportunity to get an education. I took it with both hands as my parents generation and their parents never had it but valued it. People are quick to knock this country and curse previous governments but we live in a country where everybody, regardless of learning abilities and backgrounds, have the opportunity to better themselves through education whether its someone in their forties going back to repeat their Leaving or a teenager starting Third Level. There is something there to suit everybody and the financial support for most as well. A lot of developed countries don't provide that opportunity to their citizens.

some of the smartest and most intelligent people I know were only educated to 13, 14 or 15. If you keep your eyes and ears open you'll learn more than you ever would in the best institutions in the world. I've learned a lot more outside of college than I did in it. They don't teach common sense or life lessons. Some of the most ignorant people I've ever met got over 500 points in their Leaving

Worked every Summer on building sites throughout to earn money to keep myself going. I love working in the outdoors doing physical work. Im not too sure if I'll ever use the education I've got but its no weight on my shoulders and maybe I might put it to good use in the future. Working construction in NYC for the winter whilst things are quiet at home, great experience. I'll go full-time with the farming in the next 5 years but I want to experience life a bit first. Farming can consume you if you let it but its the only job where, as someone earlier pointed out, I dont get that awful feeling on Sunday night that I've got work the next day

blue5000

Seems like all the well educated farmers are on boards, degree here too, did it as a mature student. Tried to do a masters but concentrated on the farming and never finished it.