25 March 2009

by Kenneth Johnston, Senior Lecturer, CAFRE, Greenmount Campus

Although the vast majority of students at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus come from Northern Ireland, the reputation of the Campus continues to attract students from further afield. Two potential students, Thomas Miller and his friend Alistair Watson from Castle Douglas in Scotland paid a visit to the Campus recently along with their respective fathers.

Both Thomas and Alistair want to progress onto a National Diploma in Agriculture (NDA) to prepare them for a career in farming. Both students are presently studying for a National Certificate in Agriculture at Barony College, Dumfries. They had looked online at a number of Colleges in the UK and decided that CAFRE offered the best range of options and facilities. The next step was to check out Greenmount in person.

The party spent the day at Greenmount looking around the facilities and talking with the staff.  They were all impressed with the facilities – the students because of the course emphasis on livestock production with a crops option and their fathers because of the reassurance the staff, residential and recreational facilities at the Campus gave them. It was important that they had confidence that both would be secure and comfortable while they were away from home.

They also got the opportunity to meet up with current first year NDA student Gillian Thompson from Dumfries in Scotland who said that she would encourage anyone to come to Greenmount because “the staff are great. I have been provided with great support and have been well looked after from day one”.  

The final step for both, like many other students, will be to submit their application to Greenmount and then concentrate on achieving good grades on the National Certificate in Agriculture which will determine if they can be offered a place on their chosen course.

For more information on the National Diploma in Agriculture or other courses, or use the freephone number 0800 0284291, or come along to our Open Evening on Wednesday 29 April at 7.00pm

Thomas Miller and Alistair Watson from Scotland  and their respective fathers being welcomed to the Greenmount Campus by  CAFRE Director John Fay. Also included are Kenneth Johnston, Senior Lecturer and current National Diploma in Agriculture student Gillian Thompson.