Kildalton College are holding their annual horticultural open day on Thursday 2nd May. This is a valuable opportunity for anyone interested in completing a course in horticulture to speak to lecturing staff about the courses available. Prospective students are invited to come and see the extensive facilities including the newly opened machinery and equipment training facility.
This building officially opened at the beginning of April and will be an exciting addition to the horticultural unit. There is also an ongoing development in food production in the college. A new large polythene tunnel is under construction which will be used to look at potential areas for development in the soft fruit industry in Ireland. This, along with the cut foliage facility is a joint project between Teagasc advisory and Kildalton College to provide information about potential areas for development within the horticultural industry.
Frank Murphy, College Principal said that ‘these are valuable new assets to the horticultural unit and are part of ongoing development to enhance the excellent training facilities we have here in Kildalton’. He also said that ‘Kildalton is dedicated to providing the best possible practical training for people hoping to gain a qualification in horticulture’. The new machinery training facility provides a modern storage area for the extensive range of horticultural machinery in the college. It will also provide a more comfortable area for demonstration classes and plant identification. There is also a new large diving practice area allowing students to practice driving tractors and other large machinery in a safe environment. Kildalton College offers students’ the opportunity to learn how to use and practice on a wide range of horticultural machinery and equipment, including tractor driving, spraying, and an extensive range of turf grass and landscaping equipment.
Frank Murphy believes that the best way to learn about horticulture is to ‘practice and get your hands dirty. There is only so much you can learn about plants in a classroom situation. Having an extensive horticultural unit that encompasses commercial fruit/vegetables, a commercial nursery, protected crops glasshouse, extensive grounds and sports turf facility means that our students get to put into practice what they learn in the classroom’. There is no other horticultural college in the country that can boast the range of facilities that we have here in Kildalton.
Details of the new the Level 6 Advanced Certificate is be available on the day. This is a new Level 6 course that will only be available at Kildalton College and the College of Amenity Horticulture. This course may be of interest to students who have completed a Level 5 Certificate in Horticulture and want to continue their learning. Staff will also be happy to talk to potential students about the Level 5 Certificate in Horticulture as well as the Level 7 Bachelor Degree in Horticulture in conjunction with Waterford Institute of Technology.
The open day is from 10am to 1pm. There will be a presentation at 10am and 11.30 am providing information about the courses as well as a tour of the horticultural facilities in the college. For further information please contact the college on 051 644400.
Source: HortiTrends News Room
