Since beginning in 2016, the Dawn Meats Management Development programme run by University College Dublin has welcomed over 100 cohorts. The programme is custom designed to offer trainees the opportunity to develop industry specific management skills in leadership, communication, innovation and lean business principles. The 2018-2019 participants from Dawn Meats and Dunbia undertook 8 modules in total, from professional development planning and time management to maximising influence.

Huw Smith, of Dawn Meats Group HR said; The Dawn Meats, Dunbia and UCD Management Development Programme combines the latest in academic research with the applied experience of managing a fast-paced dynamic agri-food business.  As such, the completion of this course should be the aspiration of all of our future business leaders and a milestone in their careers’.

Professor Dolores O’Riordan Director of UCD’s Institute of Food and Health and Vice-President for Global Engagement at UCD said:

“This is our third year working in close collaboration with Dawn Meats Group, to design and deliver a bespoke programme to further develop the skill set of graduates working in industry. The programme is designed help the graduates to address the global challenges facing the agri-food industry such as economic and environmental sustainability, food safety and healthy diets. It focused on developing the skill sets of leadership, negotiation, communication and project management to ensure the graduates would take a leadership role to address these challenges’.

The programme has proved to be invaluable to both trainees and the business alike and will continue to develop future leaders of the company in years to come.