St Wolsten’s Community School Students winners of Kildare’s Student Enterprise Programme 2024, photographed with Jacqui McNabb – Head of Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development in Kildare County Council and Cllr Daragh Fitzpatrick.

KILDARE STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO SIGN-UP FOR IRELAND’S TOP TEEN ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME

Second level schools across Kildare are encouraged to sign-up for this year’s Student Enterprise Programme which will see over 28,000 students nationally set-up and run a mini enterprise over the course of the academic year.

Led by Kildare County Council’s Local Enterprise Office, The Kildare Student Enterprise Programme is open for registration for the academic year 2024/25….with some exciting new additions to the competition this year:

-          5 new entry categories, and a winner will be selected for each category

-          Kildare’s Most Innovative School Award

-          The team of business advisors in Local Enterprise Office commit to giving every student/team individual feedback and direction on their idea

-          This year we’ve brought Kildare-based entrepreneurs on board to help and mentor students

Your Local Enterprise Office is committed to nurturing and developing the next generation of entrepreneurial talent in our county.

Our Programme is an educational and fun-packed initiative that teaches second level students what it’s really like to be an entrepreneur! How to set up and run their own business over the course of the academic year.

LEO are keen to explore business ideas in these current and prominent categories:

-          Equine

-          Recycling

-          Digital Media

-          Sport

-          Health & Safety

The Programme complements the business studies curriculum at both junior and senior level and is a rewarding experience for students, giving them the freedom to develop their business concepts to the fullest.

The Programme is open to Transition Year Students. Students can enter either individually or as part of a team. More details are attached and full information can be found on www.studententerprise.ie

It’s easier than ever to register your school for the Student Enterprise Programme, just log onto https://www.studententerprise.ie/register/ and complete the forms online.

The Student Enterprise Programme has been a staple on the secondary school calendar in Kildare for over 20 years with many students continuing their entrepreneurial journey long after they leave school, making their mark on the business world.

Transition Year Students will learn how to create and run their own business, picking up key skills along the way such as ideation, marketing, finance and sales.

Last year Students from St. Wolston’s made it all the way to the National Finals with their product TANdyHand.

Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development said: “We brought in industry experts from Kildare to work with these aspiring entrepreneurs, and to inspire them to really consider entrepreneurship as a future career. Entrepreneurship is important for students since it builds real world skills of leadership and collaboration, which are helpful and important in a variety of fields. Today's students are tomorrow's leaders, or in this case, tomorrow's entrepreneurs.”

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, which helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life. 

The Student Enterprise Programme also has a new range of online resources for 2024/2025 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.

To access resources and register please visit: www.studententerprise.ie

https://www.studententerprise.ie/register/