CORK CITY SCHOOLS ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP FOR IRELAND’S LARGEST ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME

CORK CITY SCHOOLS ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP FOR IRELAND’S LARGEST STUDENT ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME

 Cork City Student Enterprise Programme  - Induction Day pic 2

Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Damian Boylan and Dr. Niall O' Keeffe Head of Enterprise attending the Local Enterprise Office, Cork City  - Cork City Student Enterprise Programme Induction Day. 

Schools across Cork City are being encouraged to sign up for this year’s Student Enterprise Programme.   An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, the country’s largest enterprise programme for second level students begins its 21st year and over 300,000 students have taken part since it began.  

The programme is run through the network of Local Enterprise Offices, supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, with local coordinators in every area to support teachers and students through the year of the programme, which helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life.  The programme is open to all secondary school students from 1st year through to 6th year.   

The programme is run through the network of Local Enterprise Offices, supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, with local coordinators in every area to support teachers and students through the year of the programme, which helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life.  The programme is open to all secondary school students from 1st year through to 6th year.   

The Student Enterprise Programme has been in operation in Cork City since 2003, as part of the National Student Enterprise Programme. The programme begins each year in September with a student induction held where students from across the schools located within the Cork City boundaries are invited to participate.

Student across the participating schools take part in idea generation exercises, they produce their products and deliver their services, market their business and sell their products. Local Enterprise Office Cork City run a number of events during the calendar year which includes a Student Induction Day, held in September, MD’s day in collaboration with Otterbox, held in October, Christmas Market, Business Plan writing workshop held in January and concludes in March with a Cork City final. The City finalist, go on to represent Local Enterprise Cork City at the National final which is held in May annually.

Otterbox have been supporters of the Local Enterprise Cork City Student Enterprise Programme, they have hosted the MD’s day over the last number of years and feature as a guest judge annually. It was with this in mind that Claire Lyons, General Counsel Emea & Apac,  felt the talent in Cork City deserved an extra special local prize for 2023.

Hence, the winners of the Local Enterprise Office Cork City final in 2023 will not only represent their Local Enterprise Office nationally, but they will also travel to Colorado State University with up to 5 team mates and a Teacher for one week to develop their business idea. Following this experience they will have a greater understanding of how to create a better business world, engage with local and global business executives, help them develop leadership skills and of course experience the best of Colorado. 

Dr. Niall O’Keefe, Head Of Enterprise Local Enterprise Office Cork City said “ We are extremely proud of Student Enterprise here in Cork City, with over 20 schools and 800 students from around the City participating. Year on year we see the entrepreneurial talent here in Cork City, and are delighted to have such an amazing prize for what is one of the highlights of our calendar year

Contact our Cork City Schools Student Enterprise Programme Co-Ordinator Theresa Mulvihill 086 8561827 - info@corkschoolsenterprise.ie 

or log on to https://www.studententerprise.ie/