Dozens of local student businesses are now being promoted on the new website
For the first time ever there is a one stop shop for access to all student businesses in Waterford for the 2021/22 Student Enterprise Programme.
WWW.WATERFORDSTUDENTENTERPRISE.COM
Everything from sports to crafts, jewellery to tasty treats, you can search for a business via the school they attend or the industry they represent.
Ireland’s largest student enterprise programme is now in its 20th year. An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to encourage entrepreneurship in secondary schools, the Student Enterprise Programme has seen over 300,000 secondary school students take part since it first began.
Designed by local company Eagle Dreams, the website was created so all student businesses in Waterford can be one click away from their customers, no matter what age or product or service.
Speaking at the launch of the website, Richie Walsh of Local Enterprise Office Waterford congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Waterford, with over 900 students from 11 local schools taking part this year. 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 impact of COVID on the programme has been significant, but one ray of light is that it has forced more student to sell online. Last year’s winners, Dalia Jewels, has sold its products in all 32 counties in Ireland and over a dozen countries including America, north Africa and Japan. That is why we decided to create this website, to help promote these young entrepreneurs in their efforts to sell their products and services.”
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 29,000 students from almost 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2020 / 2021 with similar numbers expected to be involved this year.
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.