Tuesday 12^th December 2017 – A career in livestock auctioneering beckons for the first 10 new graduates who have qualified from a special new course developed by the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) in partnership with ICOS Marts and the Institute of Technology, Tallaght.

Graduates who have already successfully completed the Teagasc Level 6 Green Cert and who are working for an ICOS Mart can apply for the new ‘Special Purpose Award’. This is an additional educational qualification through which the graduates can apply for an auctioneer’s Category ‘A’ licence from the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PRSA). To qualify for the award, the graduates must first undertake a professional practice module which is run by IPAV and IT Tallaght including practical work and an exam.

The establishment of this new ‘top-up’ course and qualification by IPAV and IT Tallaght follows discussions in recent years between ICOS and the PSRA to identify how people interested in livestock marts auctioneering and who are already working in the sector could progress their career based on appropriate qualifications.

The Chief Executive of the Property Services Regulatory Authority, Maeve Hogan attended the presentation of the first awards in Roscommon.

The PSRA regulates the property auctioneering sector and has a number of significant regulatory responsibilities for the livestock marts industry.  The PSRA set out the level of qualification that is required through this route and IPAV partnered with IT Tallaght and ICOS to develop the Special Purpose Award which is now recognised by the Authority for licensing purposes.

Michael Spellman, Chairman of ICOS Marts Committee said, “We’re very pleased to see this new educational award come into effect. It is specific to the livestock marts sector and creates excellent career opportunities for younger people entering our industry as well as supporting management succession within co-operative livestock auctioneering. We are grateful to the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers and IT Tallaght for the work they have done in bringing the course into being and to the Regulator for their support and encouragement of the qualification.”