OGI Internship in Organic Horticulture
Grow your future with skills, knowledge & experience in organic horticulture
The OGI Internship in Organic Horticulture is a unique springboard into a career in organic horticulture. The programme consists of a paid, practical work placement on an Irish organic farm, alongside a classroom-based QQI Level 5 Organic Principles & Standards module, supported by a training programme including a series of workshops and farm walks with experts across the country.
Participants experience the realities of organic horticulture, gaining practical skills, extra qualifications and training as they go. The programme starts in March and finishes in October every year.
Applications for our 2025 programme will open soon. Contact our Internship Coordinator placement@organicgrowersireland.ie for more information.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The programme starts in March and finishes in October. Participants work a minimum of 30 hours per week on a well-established Irish organic horticultural farm, over a six to nine month work placement. Interns are recruited and employed directly by their host farm.
The training programme takes place alongside the work placement period and consists of:
- A series of workshops and classes delivered by growers and experts from across the organic sector, covering core subjects such soils, propagation, health and safety, pest, weeds and disease management, business and marketing, high value crops, machinery and more.
- A series of farm walks on some of the best organic farms around the country, with a focus on each farm’s working model and the crops they specialise in.
- A QQI Level 5 Organic Principles & Standards taught module, with a final exam taking place at the end of the training programme.
Accreditation
A Certificate of Completion from the Organic Growers of Ireland will be issued to each intern for the successful completion of:
- Work placement on their host farm (minimum 30 hours per week over a minimum of 6 months).
- Attendance at all workshops and farm walks.
- 25 hour block module in QQI Level 5 Organic Principles and Standards and exam.
Application Criteria & Guidance
- Applicants should have a horticultural qualification QQI Level 5 (or equivalent) and/or a minimum of six months work experience on a farm.
- It is recommended that applicants should clearly demonstrate in their application their commitment to organic growing, as well their physical ability and experience in working outdoors.
- Applicants must not have previously taken part in any OGI Work Placement / Internship programme.
- If you are applying from outside the EU you must already have an Irish working visa in place before applying. We do not organise working visas
Applications for 2025 will open in December 2024. Please email placement@organicgrowersireland.ie for more information.
1. Find out about our Host Farms
Information on the Host Farms taking part in our 2025 programme will be available soon.
Availability of placements at our Host Farms are subject to change. We will always do our best to match you with the most suitable Host Farm available.
2. Complete your Application Form
Applications for our 2025 programme will open soon.
The OGI oversees the recruitment of the interns and organises and delivers the training programme. The programme was established by the Organic Growers of Ireland in 2014 and is funded on an annual basis by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Testimonials
I completed the internship in organic horticulture in 2015. The host farm was Beechlawn Organic Farm in Ballinasloe, owned and operated by Padraig Fahy and Una Ni Bhroin. I found the internship was the ideal way for me to learn the practical skills needed to start my own horticultural enterprise. There was a good mix of classroom learning along with farm walks and the invaluable practical learning gained while working on an organic vegetable farm. It gave me a great insight into the realities and challenges involved in growing organic vegetables and also the confidence to set up my own market garden.
I currently operate a 1 acre market garden that supplies 1 local shop and 2 local farmers markets. I would highly recommend the ogi apprenticeship. The knowledge, skills, confidence, contacts and friends I gained through completing the internship have equipped me very well to set up and run my own horticultural enterprise.
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