Press Release for Immediate Release – 6th April 2022
COUNTY CARLOW STUDENTS SET FOR NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FINAL
Local Enterprise Office Carlow have announced that winning teenager entrepreneurs from St. Mary’s Knockbeg College and Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach will represent County Carlow at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on Wednesday 18th May. The Finals return to a physical event this year at The Helix in Dublin having been held online in 2020 and 2021.
The students all took part in the County Carlow Final recently, which was held online. An estimated 600 students from nine schools took part in the annual programme locally.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 24,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2020 / 2021. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals.
In the Senior Category of the competition, County Carlow will be represented on May 18th by Cian Campion from “Campion Cutz” at St. Mary’s Knockbeg College, Carlow.
In the “Most Creative Business Idea” section open to senior students, Ruby Ní Ghatlaoich from Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach came out on top. Her idea “Toe Tappers” goes forward to the Finals.
Special guests at the County Carlow Final included Fintan Phelan, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council.
Speaking at the county final, Jim Woods, Business Advisor of Local Enterprise Office Carlow congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in County Carlow, with over 600 students from nine local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on Friday 18th, and we will all hope to be there to support them. In what has been a particularly challenging couple of years for students the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands. What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.
The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals, taking place at the Helix in Dublin on the 18th May.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 300,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business. The Student Enterprise Programme also has new range of online resources for 2021 / 2022 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Local Enterprise Office Carlow.
Telephone: 059 91 29783
Email: enterprise@carlowcoco.ie
Notes to Editor
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
Borris Vocational School
Coláiste Eoin Hacketstown
Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach
Presentation College, Askea, Carlow
Presentation De La Salle Bagenalstown
St. Leos College Carlow
St. Mary’s Knockbeg College Carlow
Tullow Community School
Tyndall College Carlow
Names of winning enterprises
Senior Category Results
“Campion Cutz”, Cian Campion, St. Mary’s Knockbeg College, Carlow
Most Creative Business Idea Results
“Toe Tappers”, Ruby Ní Ghatlaoich, Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach.
About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)
The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 29,000 students from 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2021/2022 National Final takes place online on the 18th May.
Website: www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / Twitter: @StudentEntProg / Facebook: /studententerpriseprogramme / Instagram: /studententerpriseprogramme
