Agri Aware and Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) are delighted to announce that Sean Duffy from Virginia College has been crowned the National Winner of the Intro to Ag Transition Year programme.
The announcement was made at the Intro to Ag Fair, which took place on Monday, 13 April at the Aviva Stadium, bringing together students, educators and stakeholders from across the agri sector.
A Winning Project Showcasing Innovation
Sean’s winning project focused on vacuum silage making and stood out among 14 projects presented by students from six schools nationwide. The judging panel was particularly impressed by the project’s originality, the practical model developed to demonstrate the concept, and the confidence and clarity of Sean’s overall presentation.
His work clearly reflected the programme’s emphasis on innovation, problem-solving and real world agricultural challenges.
Inspiring Guests at the Intro to Ag Fair
Adding to the excitement of the day, farmer and entrepreneur Kaleb Cooper was one of the special guest judges at the event. Best known for his appearance on the hit Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb shared insights from his journey from farming and contracting in the Cotswolds to appearing on Clarkson’s Farm and to travelling to the other side of the world sharing his story from humble beginnings to worldwide fame which has helped to shine a light on the agricultural sector in the UK and further afield.
Kaleb was joined on stage for a panel discussion by beef and tillage farmer and YouTube creator Philip Stewart, also known as Farmer Phil. The discussion was chaired by Katie Gleeson, widely known as Katie in the Country, who guided an engaging and insightful conversation with the panel.
Encouraging the Next Generation of Agricultural Talent
An Intro to Ag Transition Year programme is designed to encourage students to consider Agricultural Science at Senior Cycle, while also introducing them to Further Education and Training (FET) pathways and the wide range of career opportunities available within the agri sector.
The Intro to Ag Fair showcased student learning from the programme and demonstrated the work being led by Agri Aware and LOETB to strengthen engagement with agriculture at second level.
Speaking after the event, Agri Aware Chair Shay Galvin congratulated Sean on his achievement:
“Congratulations to Sean Duffy from Virginia College on being crowned National Winner of the Intro to Ag programme. The winning project showed significant thought and effort in addressing an issue that many farmers face. It clearly reflected the core aim of the Intro to Ag programme which is to encourage students to explore and develop an interest in agriculture.”
Tony Dalton, Director of Further Education and Training (FET) with LOETB, also praised the high standard of work on display:
“The standard of projects presented was exceptional, with some really innovative ideas in the room. Huge congratulations to Sean from Virginia College. What’s particularly encouraging is that a large proportion of participants came from non-farming backgrounds. The sector needs this level of innovation and diversity of people.”
He added that the programme aims to act as a catalyst for increasing interest in agriculture:
“The aim is for this programme to serve as a catalyst in increasing interest in Agricultural Science at senior cycle, and ultimately encourage progression into further and higher-level agricultural education programmes- helping to build a strong and sustainable pipeline of talent in agriculture.”
