As the schools reopen next week, the search for Wicklow’s Student Entrepreneurs begins again as the National Student Enterprise Programme for 2018 gets into gear.
The Student Enterprise Programme, co-ordinated nationally by 31 Local Enterprise Offices, is the largest programme of its kind, involving over 22,000 students from 620 secondary schools every year. The programme supports second level students as they set up and run their own business. It runs from September to May, with the Wicklow County Final taking place next March. The winners of the County Final will go on to represent Wicklow at the National Final next May in Dublin’s Croke Park, where they will compete with their peers from all over the country to become Ireland’s Student Entrepreneur of the Year.
Wicklow students have had great success at the National Finals, in May this year 15 year old Wicklow Student, Cillian Scott and his business Scott Engine Tables, from Colaiste Chill Mhantain, took the overall prize at national level in the Intermediate Category, and in 2016, Luke Byrne, a Transition Year Student from Colaiste Craobh Abhann, won the Senior Category National Trophy with his business, Headphone Helpers. Could it be three in a row for Wicklow next year?
Sheelagh Daly of the Local Enterprise Offices said: “There are now almost 1000 students participating in the Student Enterprise Programme in County Wicklow each year. The programme enables students to explore the world of business, starting in the classroom. The standard of entries in Wicklow is extremely high which is a credit to students and teachers in schools across the county.”
Schools who wish to take part in the 2017/2018 Student Enterprise Programme in September, can register now by contacting Serena Bryans, Student Enterprise Co-ordinator at Wicklow Local Enterprise Office.
www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / @StudentEntAward @wicklow_sea
