The Licentiateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (LCGI) diploma is awarded to those students who have taken a year out from their degree programmes to gain work experience in a business environment. The qualification is in recognition of those vocational and personal skills developed during their employment and is awarded to students who have demonstrated an ability to operate effectively at a professional level.

    Of the ten award recipients, three students are completing their BSc Honours degree programme in Food Science, six are in the final year of the Agricultural Technology course and one is finishing his BSc Honours degree in Agricultural Economics & Management.

    Among them was Agricultural Economics & Management student Martin McGrath, from Ederney, who spent a year in production and dispatch with the Strathroy Dairy in Omagh.

    All ten students completed a wide variety of course-related placements across the world. On average, the Agricultural Technology students spread their year’s work experience over at least two or three organisations.

    Like all of the City & Guilds recipients, Martin recognised the importance of gaining ‘real life’ work experience.

     “I considered a placement year to be an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the food industry and to prepare myself for the working environment following graduation. It was an excellent chance to develop my personal and technical skills,” he said.