Schools across Laois are being encouraged to sign-up for this year’s Student Enterprise Programme (SEP) by new Brand Ambassador and rising Irish media star, Louise Cantillon.
The Limerick native is a former second-level school teacher and has encouraged the thousands of participating students this year as they embark on their exciting entrepreneurial journey.
Participants will be creating, setting up and running their own business to compete for the top prize of Student Enterprise of the Year.
Laois has had a number of successes over the years.
Last year, three students from Heywood Community School won 3rd Prize overall in the National Senior category for their enterprise called Hurlr, an innovative bicycle hurl holder.
In 2022, two students from Portlaoise College won 1st place in the Creative Business Idea Video competition at Junior Cycle level and 2nd place in the My Entrepreneurial Journey competition at Intermediate level at the National Finals respectively.
In 2021, students from St. Mary’s CBS Portlaoise took 1st Prize in the Most Effective use of Social Media at the National Student Finals for their enterprise ‘O-Glo’ which manufactures handmade candle holders using poured concrete.
New Ambassador, Louise Cantillon said she is delighted to be partnering with SEP for 2023/24 and says she is particularly excited about the roll-out of the new student workbooks as Gaeilge this year.
“I am so excited to be working on the SEP project and learning about all the fantastic businesses these young students are going to be working on this year.
“The fact that the student workbooks are also being published as Gaeilge this year with thanks to the Irish language agency COGG is fantastic and a great resource for all the gaelscoileanna around the country.”
Evelyn Reddin, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Laois said: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Laois.
“In what has been a particularly challenging couple of years for students, the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands.
“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 skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers.”
An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices of Ireland, SEP is the country’s largest enterprise programme for second level students, with this year marking the 22nd year of the hugely successful programme.
Over 25,000 students from approximately 500 second level schools across the country are expected to take part.
Students from 1st year to 6th year can enter in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories.
Participants will learn how to create and run their own business, picking up key skills along the way such as ideation, marketing, finance and sales.
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.
This helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life.
Last year the winners were MC Compactors from Roscommon in the Senior Category with their business idea – an innovative stainless-steel rubbish compactor. In the Intermediate category the winner was Clip Clop Designs – a company that upcycled used horse shoes into household ornaments.
The Junior category was won by a group of Leitrim students with their student enterprise Grasper – a lift mechanism to open slatted tank covers on farms.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 325,000 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 a new range of online resources for 2023/2024 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
SEE ALSO – Laois Connects 2023 presents new innovative parenting webinar
