Record numbers participate in Fingal’s Student Enterprise Awards Programme
As the Christmas shopping season kicks off, student entrepreneurs across North Dublin are busy preparing their products and services for sale, as part of the biggest-ever Fingal Student Enterprise Awards Programme.
Over 2,000 students will this year participate in what is the largest programme of its kind in the country, co-ordinated by the Fingal Local Enterprise Office. The annual enterprise programme sets out to encourage students in secondary and primary schools to research and manage their own business, with support from local business mentors.
Now in its fourteenth year, a record number of 2,268 students from 23 secondary schools and eight primary schools in Fingal are participating in the 2014/2015 programme, setting up and running their own businesses between now and the County Finals in March 2015.
With the countdown on to the Fingal County Final, the Christmas period is a key opportunity for the young entrepreneurs to drive sales and grow their businesses.
The secondary schools programme is sponsored, for the sixth consecutive year, by the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board.
Fingal’s Student Enterprise Programme is part of the ‘National Student Enterprise Awards’ competition, which annually sees over 17,000 students compete on the national stage. Category winners from the Fingal County Finals will advance to the National Student Enterprise Awards, to be held in April 2015.
Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Enterprise, Fingal County Council said: “The Student Enterprise Awards programme in Fingal is the largest and most successful programme in the country with record numbers of students, from primary and secondary schools across the region setting up and running their own businesses. With the support of the schools, the local business community, sponsors and Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board, these students, guided by our mentoring programme, are gaining invaluable experience in the world of business. The lessons they learn on this programme will help set them on an entrepreneurial path from a young age.”
Further information about the Fingal Student Enterprise Programme for primary and secondary schools is available by e-mailing schools@aboutcommunications.ie or by visiting www.studententerprise.ie / facebook.com/pages/Fingal-Student-Enterprise-Award
ENDS
For all media queries regarding the Fingal Student Enterprise Programme, please contact Adrienne Ferguson from Engage Ireland on 01 4278388/086 3552974 or office@engageireland.com
Notes to the Editor
Participating schools in Fingal Student Enterprise Awards Programme 2013/14:
Secondary Schools (23):
Balbriggan Community College, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Castleknock College, Castleknock, Dublin 15
Castleknock Community College, Castleknock, Dublin 15
Colaiste Choilm, Swords, Co. Dublin
Colaiste Pobal Setanta , Clonee, Dublin 15
Coolmine Community School, Clonsilla, Dublin 15
Fingal Community College, Swords, Co. Dublin
Hansfield Educate Together, Clonee, Dublin 15
Hartstown Community School, Clonsilla, Dublin 15
Loreto Balbriggan, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
Loreto College, Swords, Co. Dublin
Lusk Community College, Lusk, Co. Dublin
Luttrellstown Community School, Carpenterstown, Dublin 15
Malahide Community School, Malahide, Co. Dublin
Mount Sackville Secondary School, Chapelizod, Dublin 20
Portmarnock Community, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin
Santa Sabina Dominican College, Sutton, Dublin 13
Skerries Community College, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Sutton Park School, Sutton, Dublin 13
Primary Schools (8):
Scoil Choilm, Luttrelstown, Dublin 15
Tyrellstown Educate Together, Tyrellstown, Dublin 15
Castaheany Educate Together, Ongar, Dublin 15
Realt na Mara, Skerries, Co. Dublin
Balbriggan Educate Together, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
Scoil Padraic Cailini, Donabate, Co. Dublin
St. Cronan’s, Swords, Co. Dublin