By Kay Kevlihan

I was always fascinated by farm machinery, how it works, what it can do and the impact modern machinery has on today’s farms. It was no surprise to my family and friends that when I completed my Leaving Certificate I went straight from my home in Brosna, Co Offaly, to Pallaskenry Agricultural College in Limerick to study for the National Certificate in Agricultural Mechanisatin. This is a third-level course run by the college in conjunction with Limerick Institute of Technology.

I loved the course because it provided a good balance between practical instruction and theory with a good bit of hands-on experience. For my college project, I overhauled the hydraulics of an International 354 tractor and I also got involved with other students who had chosen fabrication projects. I was constantly learning about machinery, which I really enjoyed.

One of the highlights of the course was my work placement, which I spent working on the US harvest trail, driving a combine harvester through 12 states in the Mid West. I loved every minute of it and would recommend anyone interested in farm machinery to do the same.

During my two years at Pallaskenry I was named student of the year, sponsored by the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association. I was encouraged by my lecturers to apply for the FAB (Farm Apprenticeship Board) bursary, which I was awarded. It couldn’t have come at a better time because not alone was it a vote of confidence in me but it spurred me on to continue my studies to degree level.

Harper Adams University in Shropshire accepted me on their four-year Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering course and, having achieved the National Certificate from Limerick Institute of Technology, I was exempt from year one of the course, which was fantastic. The FAB hursary was of enormous help to me in my initial move to the UK.

Of course, it was a big change to be living and studying in the UK but once I settled in I got involved with Harper Ireland Club a great way to meet other students and settle in to college life and I was elected as PRO. I also joined the Harper Gaelic football team, was selected as vice captain and along with captain Gavin Daly we organised training and match fixtures with other UK colleges.

Year three is a gap year on the degree course when students go on industrial work placement and I was extremely lucky to be employed for 15 months by Claas UK. I was based in their training centre, assisting with training courses and manufacturing training rigs. I was also involved in preparing the master technician assessment for 2007. It was a great opportunity to apply aspects of my studies within a realistic, commercial environment. I gained invaluable technical and work-based experience during that time, after which I returned to university to complete my degree.

Since completing my degree I have worked for UK-based Cooperative Farms, but my ambition was to build on the experience I have gained to date by working with a major company such as Case New Holland.

You can imagine how delighted I am that I have just got news that an interview with CNH was successful and I will be joining the company on 24 November as a Field Service Technician for the UK and Ireland market.

I will always be thankful for the encouragement and financial support which the FAB bursary provided during my studies. My ambition is to be able to repay that support by contributing to a stronger and better developed agricultural environment in Ireland.

I would definitely encourage students of agriculture to apply for the bursary