Deadline approaching for applications to Coillte Scholarship Programme - Kilkenny Farming

Coillte, Ireland’s semi-state forestry company, is reminding students interested in a career in forestry that the deadline to apply for its first ever Forestry Scholarship is approaching on 28th April 2024.

The Coillte Scholarship will offer two students the unique opportunity to pursue a full-time, third-level programme within the area of forestry at University College Dublin (UCD) or South East Technological University (SETU). Each student will be awarded up to €20,000 (€5,000 per year) to support them with tuition fees and living expenses throughout the programme.

Each scholarship recipient will also be offered the opportunity of paid summer employment in Coillte for the duration of the scholarship and on completion of the degree, they will have the opportunity to join Coillte.

The scholarship was created to showcase the varied opportunities within the forestry sector and to support the training and development of a new generation of foresters. The sector presents a diverse array of opportunities such as sustainable timber cultivation through tree planting and harvesting; championing biodiversity preservation; integrating climate change adaptation strategies within Coillte's woodlands; and, analysing environmental data to support holistic approaches to sustainable forest management.

Research commissioned by Coillte in 2023, conducted by Red C, found a total of 54% of young people aged between 18 and 29 would be open to considering a career in the sector. It was encouraging to find that while 61% of men considered themselves suitable for a role in forestry, some 45% of women surveyed also considered it a viable career option. Furthermore, among those who were favourable to a career in forestry, over half were attracted to supporting the environment and tackling climate change. A further half (53%) of survey respondents welcomed the opportunity to work in nature.

Applications for the Coillte Scholarship Programme can be completed online at www.coillte.ie. The closing date for receipt of applications is 28th April 2024.