GLAS Special: CAFRE – Educating the next generation of horticulturists
Print18 July 2024
Greenmount has been delivering horticulture education for more than one hundred years. So far, 2024 has been another great year for Horticulture at the Campus.
Student achievement
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) are very grateful for the support provided by the horticulture industry through bursaries and work placement opportunities. They had three bursary recipients from their BSc Degree and Foundation Degree programmes this year, who received generous £1500 bursaries from Bulrush and idVerde. Another two of their higher education students also secured Ball Colegrave Foundation scholarships in competition with student entries from other GB Land based colleges.
CAFRE students had recent success at WorldSkills UK with three female students achieving one gold and silver medal in the Landscaping category and one Silver in the Floristry competition. These accolades are a testament to the dedication and hard work these competitors put into their skills areas. They are also a reflection of the amazing opportunities available to students and the quality education available across CAFRE campuses.
Gold medal winner in the landscaping category, Anna McLoughlin, with silver medal winner Aimee Copeland and silver floristry medal winner, Edel Michael
There was also success at the recent Chartered Institute of Horticulture Young Horticulturist of the Year competition with two students making it to the Ireland Regional finals. BSc student, Kyle Ross came joint third place.
Careers and events
CAFRE’s annual careers event in February 2024 gave students the chance to learn about some of the opportunities for careers and academic progression that are open to them. Aaron Jamison (past student, director of Lawn & Border Garden Design and Landscaping) along with Neil Porteous (Historic Garden Consultant) and Dr. Liz Barron-Majerik, spoke of their achievements and career paths to date.
Students took the opportunity to volunteer at Horatio’s Garden Northern Ireland, which opened at the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit in Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast. Designer Andy Sturgeon led the way with his contemporary styling, with recent CAFRE graduate Matthew Lee employed as head gardener.
At Garden Show Ireland, Higher Education students sold peat-free plants that had been grown by them to the public.
CAFRE students visiting orchard production research and development facilities
Study tours
Further Education students from the Level 2 and 3 programmes embarked on a study tour in April to South West England stopping off at the Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Newquay Orchard and more. Higher education students toured Denmark and Sweden through the Easter break, where they visited orchard production research and development facilities, nursery stock production, production of trees and sustainable green roof technology.
CAFRE’s horticulture teaching resources are excellent and a new campus is currently being planned for completion in 2030. Considering this and with all the exciting opportunities to study horticulture or floristry at Greenmount Campus, Antrim, on a full time or part time basis and at different levels in both further and higher education programmes, CAFRE are looking forward with confidence to the next 100 years.
If you would like to find out more about CAFRE’s courses visit www.cafre.ac.uk
Fans 0
Followers