Bord Bia has launched its 2021 post-graduate education programme, with up to 80 fully-funded places on offer.

The Bord Bia Talent Academy positions include a fully funded master’s at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, a tax-free bursary (€25,000-€30,000) and a guaranteed work placement through the agency’s domestic and global network.

Bord Bia’s academy was established to help identify and develop future executive talent for Ireland’s food and drink industry.

The academy offers five individual programmes through corporate and academic partnerships in areas of sales, marketing, sustainability, consumer insights, innovation, supply chain and procurement.

Applications are currently open for the Marketing Fellowship and International Graduate Programmes, run in partnership with UCD Smurfit School. The Marketing Fellowship is intended for graduates with a few years’ work experience, while the International Graduate Programme is open to new graduates with limited or no experience.

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According to Michael Murphy, organisation and industry talent director with Bord Bia, the potential opportunities for graduates in the industry are immense.

“Last year Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture exports reached a record €13bn, delivering 67% growth in a decade. Bord Bia is actively seeking to recruit and retain top-class talent for this dynamic and growing sector, with the Talent Academy acting as an incubator for individuals seeking to supercharge their careers," said Murphy.

“Over 80% of the alumni of the Marketing Fellowship, for example, are retained in relevant food industry roles upon graduating from the 18-month programme, reflecting the demand and opportunities that exist for employment at home and abroad.”

The Talent Academy programmes, some of which have been running for over 10 years, attract a wide range of graduates across many disciplines and third-level colleges across the country.

“While our Marketing Fellowship is for graduates with a few years’ experience, overall, the range of programmes on offer ensures participants with wide and diverse backgrounds, from hospitality to healthcare, event management to economics, agriculture to finance,” Murphy added.

Successful applicants will be placed into one of Bord Bia’s 15 international locations – from Singapore to Spain, Nigeria to the Nordics – or with food and drink industry companies both domestically and internationally, depending on the specific programme.

Mars, McDonalds, Nestlé, Tesco and Unilever are some of the international companies that offer placements, along with many leading and emerging Irish companies.

“Fellows on the Marketing and International Graduate programmes will combine this dynamic, hands-on experience, with a fully-funded master’s qualification from UCD Smurfit School, with access to some of the world’s best food industry educators from business schools including Harvard, IMD, NYU Stern and UCD Smurfit School,” said Murphy.

Applications for the Bord Bia Talent Academy can be made at https://www.bordbia.ie/about/talent-academy/

The closing date for applications for the Marketing Fellowship is 27 November 2020 and programmes commence in mid-spring 2021. The closing date for the International Graduate Programme is 29 January 2021 and programmes commence in mid-summer 2021.