Career in Horticulture
Do you fancy a new career in Horticulture? Do you like plants, or working outdoors? If so Kildalton College may be the place for you. A course in horticulture could lead to employment in the main areas of landscaping, nurseries, green-keeping and garden centres. But it could also lead to work in fruit/vegetable production, floristry, education, training and a myriad of other related areas. Maybe you fancy a career selling plants, growing plants, planting plants or maybe designing back gardens, golf courses, or maintenance of parks and other landscapes. If so Kildalton could be the place for you to start.
The Horticultural courses offered at Kildalton are offered to any one over the age of 17. There is no formal educational requirement for entry. So the student body is made up of school leavers and mature people looking for a change of career.
Kildalton Horticultural College
Kildalton is the only college with the facilities to train students on site in the areas of commercial fruit and vegetable growing, nursery production, sports turf including green-keeping, landscaping including construction, maintenance and design.
Besides offering the basic Certificate in Horticulture (FETAC level 5) students have the opportunity to go on to the Advanced Certificate in Horticulture (Level 6). Alternatively they can transfer into the 2nd year, as an advanced entrant, of the Degree course at WIT leading to a Bachelor in Science in Horticulture (Level 7) and indeed to the Level 8 degree in Land Management.
As well as learning about plants students will also have the opportunity to gain practical experience with tractor driving and using a wide range of machinery and equipment for landscape maintenance, sports turf maintenance and vegetable production.
Kildalton Agricultural and Horticultural College is situated just outside the village of Piltown in the south-west corner of county Kilkenny. Set around mature woods, gardens and lake the college is in a wonderful setting with 150 ha of land. Students at Kildalton have the opportunity to learn from the extensive ornamental grounds attached to the college, which includes some trees over 200 years old.
In September 2009 Kildalton opened its new state of the art teaching block. Equipped with modern classrooms, lecture theatre, laboratories, computer rooms and design studio it offers students a comfortable learning and relaxing space.
If you never completed a leaving certificate you can start on a Level 5 course at Kildalton and continue to the highest degrees through our links with Waterford Institute of Technology and UCD.
Students come to Kildalton from all over Ireland and occasionally from abroad. There are a limited number of rooms available on campus and a full list of accommodation in the locality can be obtained from the college office.
If you have any interest in Kildalton’s Horticultural courses and facilities come along to the open day on Thursday 28th April at 10 am or contact us on 051 644400 for further information.
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