Fruit and Nut

Internship Opportunities (updated 20/08/20)

Please read the information below before contacting us.

The nursery is offering a place for a full-time intern, beginning September 2021 and running till September of 2020. The work programme will be based around the seasonal requirements of nursery's flagship project: Agriculture for Climate Change: Land Rehabilitation and Small-scale Fruit and Nut Growing. Further details of this can be found on the studentship page (here).

The number of working/training hours per week will vary according to the time of year, with the weekly average over the whole year being around 26-28. There will be considerable flexibility regarding the scheduling of the hours. Training will be an integral part of the internship programme and will be tailor-made to suit the intern's personal requirements.

Who is the internship aimed at?

The internship is aimed particularly at the person who is considering pursuing a working life involving nut trees, or in food security-related land rehabilitation projects.

Does the internship have to begin in September?

Not necessarily. Within certain parameters, the start date is flexible. It may be possible to start in the spring of 2021 instead (please contact us to discuss further).

Fee

There is no fee for the internship.

Accommodation and Board

The intern is not required to live in, however accommodation (timber cabin) and full board are available if required. The food is vegetarian. In addition, the nursery will provide protective clothing and footwear. There is good wifi on site.

Meals

Interns staying on site will be expected to share meal-preparation duties and must possess basic cooking skills.

Additional Supports

Interns not eligible for state supports who have no other source of income may qualify for a personal expenses allowance of €50 per week and a modest travel allowance.

Applicants from outside Ireland

The nursery welcomes applications from outside of Ireland, particularly from other EU countries. Fluency in English is generally a prerequirement.

Library

The intern will have access to the extensive on-site library covering horticulture, sustainable agriculture, tree crops, soil and plant science, land use, climate and micro-climate, global warming and many related subjects. The library is probably the largest of its type in Ireland.

Prerequirements:

1 Previous horticultural experience, preferably including orchard experience

2 Previous horticultural training, ideally FETAC level 5 or equivalent. In certain circumstances - for example where the applicant has previous horticultural experience extending over several years or has already completed a short term internship at the nursery - this requirement may be waived

3 An interest in food security and climate change issues

4 Minimum of three week stay at the nursery helping as a volunteer. This must take place at least three months before the internship is due to begin.

5 Prospective interns should be physically fit and prepared to work outdoors in poor weather (in practice, little work is carried out during very wet weather, but occasionally it is necessary).

5 Familiarity with vegan food and ability to serve up tasty meals (see 'Meals' above)

Age

Preference will be given to the 22-30 age group. Younger applicants who have good previous horticultural experence may also be considered.

Physical Work

We place considerable emphasis on learning how to use tools properly, both for work efficiency and for worker comfort and safety. The ability to correctly use tools such as scythes, spades and shovels are skills that once acquired will last for life and there is great satisfaction in knowing a skill has been mastered and that muscles know what to do. All physical work carried out at the nursery is grounded in good technique and personal awareness, not gung-ho brute force. In recent years, the majority of interns and other volunteers at the nursery have been women and this has helped us develop an approach to training geared specifically to women.

Women in Agriculture

In Ireland (as in many other countries) around 90 percent of registered farmers are men. This is largely the same with organic farms too. The nursery believes that a greater participation of women in agriculture and horticulture - and in particular in skilled work and in decision-making - will be beneficial for the future of food production.

Personal development

Personal development is important strand of the internship and we hope that all interns gain useful soft skills in addition to the practical skills associated with nursery work.

Applying

Please send a short CV listing education, previous training, work experience, hobbies and interests, and submit a short piece of writing or video clip outlining your reasons for wanting to do the internship.

Further Information

If you are unsure whether an internship is the right choice for you, why not email us and outline your concerns. Please include a short CV (up to date please!) and a brief outline of why you want to do an internship with Fruit and Nut. All enquiries will be treated with strict confidence. We strongly recommend that intending interns contact us at least six months in advance.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Short Term Internships

For details of short term internships, click here