'Best Student Enterprise of the Year' for the Cork City Schools Enterprise Programme 2018/2019
Best Student Enterprise of the Year was awarded to mini-company 'Rook Book' from Colaiste An Spioraid Naoimh.
They will represent the Local Enterprise Office - Cork City
at the National Finals of the Student Enterprise Programme on May 3rd in Croke Park.
The Cork City Schools Enterprise Programme for 2018/2019 announced the winner for 'Best Student Enterprise of the Year' at the Cork City Final, which took place at Devere Hall, in University College Cork, on Tuesday, March 12.
Run by the Local Enterprise Office, Cork City, the event was open to the general public to give student mini-companies the opportunity to showcase their new business ideas and exhibit their products to a wider audience, whilst competing for Best Student Enterprise.
Representatives from companies at the forefront of local and International business were part of the judging panel on the day including OtterBox, Firemole and Rocketman. Best Student Enterprise of the Year was awarded to mini-company 'Rook Book' from Colaiste An Spioraid Naoimh. The student team received a winners’ package to the value of €2,300 and will go on to represent the Local Enterprise Office, Cork City at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park on Friday May 3rd.
'Pop Shine Ltd' from St. Vincent's Secondary School was awarded second place for Best Student Enterprise and third place went to 'Eventi' from Colaiste An Spioraid Naoimh.
Prizes were also awarded to mini-companies in the following categories:
Best Business Display: 'Sweet Surprise' - St. Vincent's Secondary School
Best Sales: 'Aqua Pods' - Scoil Mhuire
Best Business Report: 'Care Cookies' - Scoil Mhuire
Best Commercial Potential: 'Sea Sisters' - Scoil Mhuire
Enterprise Educator of the Year: Jackie O'Rourke - St. Angela's College.
As well as the mini-company competition, students in their first year of second level were given the opportunity to showcase their ideas with Mini Mogul prizes awarded to students from Colaiste An Spioraid Naoimh with 'Power Pedals' for Best Business idea, 'Household Turbine' for Best Business Stand and 'Newal Notes' for Best Interview.
Schools across the city took part in the event, seeing over one hundred students taking part including Colaiste An Spioraid Naoimh, St Angela's College, North Presentation Secondary School, Nagle Community College, Bishopstown Community School, Scoil Mhuire, St. Vincent's Secondary School and St. Aloysius Girls School.
Speaking at the final, Adrienne Rodgers, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Cork City, congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Cork City with over two hundred students from ten local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck in Croke Park on May 3rd.”
Every September through Local Enterprise Office, Cork City, entrepreneurial secondary school students begin their business journey as they are encouraged to research, set-up and run their own real-world businesses.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities, is the most successful student enterprise programme of kind in the country. An estimated 26,000 students from 490 schools around the country begin their entrepreneurial journey every year with the help of their teachers, student enterprise co-ordinators and Local Enterprise Office.
A range of interactive enterprise activities are organised during the school year to encourage students from 1st – 6th year to learn more about entrepreneurship and what’s involved in setting up and running a business.
The Programme runs from September to April with high profile national finals taking place in Dublin in May each year.
