3 minute read
Ireland
Reporting on the latest developments from the Irish food and drink sector
Ireland
Ireland’s leading farmer-owned Agri business and the country’s second largest dairy processor, Dairygold, has announced a new partnership with Munster Technological University (MTU) and BioPharmaChem Ireland to offer laboratory apprenticeships, starting from this September.
Dairygold has partnered with some of Munster’s leading pharma companies, BioPharmaChem Ireland and Munster Technological University (MTU), on a new industry-led Laboratory Apprenticeship Programme. The programme will be delivered for the first time at the Munster Technical University Cork campus this September 2022 and this is Dairygold’s first year taking part. Dairygold said it is pleased to be a key partner.
The programme has seen fantastic growth since its inception in 2018 and has given many candidates the opportunity to gain their science qualifications while benefitting from hands-on work experience at some of Ireland’s most successful companies.
Two-year programme
Dairygold’s involvement sees the dairy firm being well-placed to facilitate, mentor and nurture ambitious talent. As part of the programme, Dairygold Agri-Business is seeking applicants for two laboratory analyst (two-year Level 6 Certification of Science) apprenticeship positions. This is a two-year programme which will see the successful apprentice work three days on site per week in Dairygold’s high tech Analytical Services Laboratory at Lombardstown Mill and spend two days per week at Munster Technological University.
The programme is designed for those who wish to develop a career in the laboratory environment of food and drink, biopharmaceutical, chemical manufacturing, medical devices and diagnostics and analytical testing laboratory sectors. Successful applicants will gain industry experience and mentoring all while gaining a national qualification. Dairygold said the programme is suitable for leaving certificate students, career changers, mature students, those with an equivalent qualification, who have an interest in pursuing a career in science or anyone looking to retrain or upskill in this sector.
Speaking about offering these apprenticeship positions in partnership with BioPharmaChem Ireland and MTU, Dairygold Group Head of Human Resources Adrian Beatty said: “Apprenticeship registration is on the increase and is steadily becoming a very popular route into the workforce for those who want to learn on the job. We are delighted to be able to partner with these leading scientific companies in Munster to offer these apprenticeship positions in our modern laboratory facility in Lombardstown.
“Given our focus on developing talent within Dairygold, I am confident the successful applicants will thrive in these positions as a result of this programme.”
The Dairygold Analytical Services Laboratory opened in 1987 and received INAB accreditation in 1989, the first in the industry to do so. In December 2017, following considerable investment, the laboratory moved to a state-of-the-art facility and is now equipped to analyse the full range of proximate, trace elements, pesticides, residues, toxins and vitamins in water, food, feed, supplements, soil, herbage and grass.
About Dairygold
Located in the rich fertile Golden Valleys of Munster, Dairygold is Ireland’s largest co-operative, supporting thousands of shareholder farmers for more than 150 years. Its members have a proud history of producing quality-assured, sustainable gold standard dairy ingredients that enrich lives on a global scale.
Ireland’s second largest dairy processor, Dairygold processes 1.34 billion litres of milk annually from its 2,700 milk suppliers.
Dairygold currently employs over 1,250 people across Ireland, UK, Germany, Spain and China and in 2019 generated a turnover of c. €992 million.
The co-operative said it remains focused on producing cheese and dairy ingredients that can be traced from grass fed cows in Europe’s most fertile pastures, constantly adding value to its nutritional products through smart innovation, research, industry-leading technology and worldclass facilities.
With a clear vision and plan to be a global player in supplying naturally-sourced dairy nutritionals, Dairygold is boldly shaping the future of the industry. n
