Dungarvan Double at Student Enterprise Awards


Deise Publications from CBS Dungarvan and A&K Crafts from Ard Scoil Na nDeise reach the National Student Enterprise Final.

Deise Publications, winners of the Senior award created, produced and sold Greenway calendars and A&K Crafts, winners of the Intermediate award created and sold seasonal plates and mugs. Both groups took park in the Local Enterprise Office’s Student Enterprise Awards last Tuesday at the WIT Arena.

SEA_2018_2

The Waterford Student Enterprise Programme started in September with 1,000 students from 15 schools in Waterford City and County. They created their businesses, developed, branded, promoted and sold. But most importantly they learned what it felt like to run their own business.

Finally, 140 students represented 12 schools in Waterford county and competed in the Waterford Student Enterprise Final on Tuesday March 13th at the W.I.T. Arena in Carriganore. 50 businesses in total, shortlisted from a total of 350 who commenced the competition in September, presented their business plans and challenged for the top prize in the Waterford Student Enterprise Programme.

Deise Publications and A&K Crafts will represent Waterford at the National Finals on May 2nd in Croke Park taking on 34 other businesses, the best of the rest of the country.

SEA_2018_3

Co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Office Waterford, the competition is the most successful programme of its kind in the country. 25,000 budding entrepreneurs from 380 secondary schools across the country have been running their own enterprises, with help from their teachers and Local Enterprise Offices.

Finalists from all over the country will set-up enterprise exhibition displays before taking part in a series of judging interviews. The judging panels take numerous factors into account, such as business reporting, innovation, market research, risk management and finances.

Praising the teachers and local schools involved in the programme, Richie Walsh, Head of Enterprise at the Local Enterprise Office Waterford, said: “The Student Enterprise Programme encourages and enables students to take on the world of business and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set. By fostering an enterprising culture in the classroom, the Local Enterprise Offices are working with teachers and schools to help nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

SEA_2018

The three main categories for the Student Enterprise Awards programme includes senior, intermediate and junior levels, which all comprise of first, second and third place winners, alongside awards for best innovation, display and social media.

Further information about May’s National Finals is available through www.studententerprise.ie, which also has free resources and video tutorials for students and teachers for the 2017/2018 programme.

For more information, please contact your Local Enterprise Office at 35 the Mall in Waterford City or Civic Offices in Dungarvan. Alternatively, you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie.