Are you a second level student in Ireland? Would you like the chance to set up and run your own student business with your class mates while at school?
Each year over 17,000 students all over Ireland get to find out what it’s really like to be their own boss and run their own business by taking part in the Student Enterprise Awards Programme.
As well as finding out what life is like as your own boss, you could also be in with a chance of winning some great prizes including:
- National Trophy and plenty of Cash Prizes
- Local and National Media Profile including TV and Radio appearances
The Student Enterprise Awards (SEAs) is the biggest enterprise competition for students in Ireland. It helps students to grasp real life skills associated with running a real enterprise including working as part of a team, managing production and finances, organising a sales and marketing campaign and liaising directly with customers, judges and the media.
Over the 10+ years the Local Enterprise Offices have run this competition we have seen some remarkable success stories with high levels of innovation, ingenuity and clever sales pitches. What is really striking is how confident young people are in presenting their final proposals with many teachers remarking that students often develop self-confidence as they work their way through the different stages of their business. This is particularly true when students are taken out of their normal school environment to deal with external stakeholders who can help them progress their business idea.
The competition compliments the business studies curriculum and is a rewarding experience for transition year students in particular, who have that bit more freedom to develop their business concepts to the fullest.
Introducing enterprise to students in such a relevant fashion can only help to create more entrepreneurs in the future. The Local Enterprise network provides significant support to teachers and students involved in the competition and we would encourage all schools to sign up and get their students involved.
To see for yourself what the SEAs is all about, informatiion is available on the Student Enterprise Awards website www.studententerprise.ie and check out some of the videos over on their YouTube Channel – StudentEnterpriseIE
