Ballybofey student secures Inaugural Coillte Forestry Scholarship

Ballybofey’s Áine O'Dwyer has been named one of the inaugural scholars of Coillte’s 2025 Forestry Scholarship Programme.

Áine joins Mia Sibbald (Kildare) and Alex Power (Waterford), now in their first semester at South East Technological University (SETU) and already benefiting from the programme.

“This scholarship has given me more than financial support—it has provided a pathway into a sector that is key to tackling climate challenges and supporting rural Ireland,” Áine said. “My introduction to SETU has been fantastic, as we begin to learn about the practical aspects of sustainable forestry and its potential to foster a greener, brighter future.”

With CAO applications open, Coillte launched its 2025 programme. Building on the success of its inaugural programme, which saw scholarships being awarded to three students, the scholarship provides substantial financial and career support for students pursuing a full-time, third level forestry programme at University College Dublin (UCD) or SETU.

Offering up to €20,000 per recipient across their degree, alongside paid summer placements and career opportunities with Coillte, the scholarship was created to address the growing need for skilled professionals to support Ireland’s environmental and economic sustainability.

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The launch of the 2025 Forestry Scholarship comes amid growing interest in forestry careers, as revealed by a recent RED C survey commissioned by Coillte. This survey found that 60% of 18–34-year-olds view a career in the forest and wood sector as attractive, with over a quarter of all those surveyed describing it as very attractive. Furthermore, 57% of women surveyed expressed interest in a career in forestry, highlighting the sector's broadening appeal across diverse demographics.

The forestry sector is recognised as a key driver of Ireland’s climate action objectives, requiring more than 1,700 skilled professionals by 2030 to meet the ambitions of Ireland’s Forest Strategy.

Launching the 2025 Coillte Forestry Scholarship programme, Mark Carlin, Managing Director of Coillte Forest, said: “Forestry is essential to Ireland’s environmental and economic future, offering diverse careers in a wide variety of areas. With CAO applications now open, we encourage students to consider forestry as a meaningful career that contributes to a greener, more self-sufficient Ireland.

“Forestry is not just about planting and harvesting trees – it is a dynamic, multifaceted sector. There is a wide range of careers available, including planners who use sophisticated information technology to develop strategic forest management plans, ecologists working to protect and enhance biodiversity across our estate, supply-chain managers working to co-ordinate the supply of sustainable wood products, and recreation managers delivering trails and activities for people to enjoy. Sustainability is at the heart of forestry today and technological innovation continues to transform the forest sector.”

Applications for the 2025 Coillte Forestry Scholarship Programme are now open and more information can be found online. The closing date for applications is Friday, May 2, 2025.