Dearbhle McLaughlin – CAFRE Alumni

My name is Dearbhle McLaughlin and I am currently a student on the MSc Business for Agri-Food and Rural Enterprise programme, offered by Loughry Campus, CAFRE, in conjunction with Queens University Belfast.  

I grew up on a suckler cow farm near Dunloy so had an interest in the agri-food sector from an early age. My teachers at St Louis, Grammar School, Ballymena were also particularly influential in encouraging me to pursue an agricultural-related career. After I completed my A-Levels, I decided to study a BSc (Hons) Degree in Sustainable Agriculture at Greenmount College. Whilst studying at Greenmount, I participated in a twelve-week placement programme at Fane Valley Stores, where I gained a valuable insight into the agricultural supply chain.  

Upon completion of my degree in June 2022, I decided I wanted to further develop my communication and management skills before securing employment within the industry. By way of recommendation from my lecturers at Greenmount, I enrolled in the Masters for Business in Agri-food and Rural Enterprise course, offered at Loughry campus. I decided to undergo this course on a full-time basis, from September 2022 to May 2023, with six taught modules and then a research thesis to complete during the summer. The course was delivered on-site at Loughry campus, which provided an excellent opportunity for interaction with others with similar interests and varying backgrounds. The course also consisted of a number of coursework assessments that were based on the agri-food industry.  

I am currently completing my research thesis, which focuses on farmers’ perceptions regarding the practice of performance recording and benchmarking in the suckler cow industry. This topic has gained an elevated level of interest due to the need for the agricultural industry to improve performance whilst also minimising its carbon footprint. I hope to complete my thesis in September and graduate with my Masters from Queens University Belfast in December 2023.  

As my time of study is coming to an end at Loughry campus, I feel that the programme has developed and improved my management, communication and business skills.  I have also thoroughly enjoyed my time on the course and I would recommend that others who wish to further develop such skills consider enrolling on the Masters programme.