Year 10 Young Enterprise Day

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Year 10 students from the Wallace High School, Lisburn learned the secrets to creating a positive employment future for themselves during the Young Enterprise Northern Ireland Entrepreneurship Masterclass hosted by the Business Studies Department.

Aimed at 14-18 year olds, the programme is designed to help students to think about opening their own business as a viable and exciting career option. 

Supported by Momentum, the trade association for the ICT industry in Northern Ireland, the students received the opportunity to learn more about business opportunities in this key growth sector. 

During the Masterclass, students learned how to develop the key entrepreneurial skills required to start their own company, including communication, team work, marketing and developing a unique business proposition. 

Working in teams with new “colleagues” from their year group, the students used their iPads to develop a business plan aimed at launching an imaginary new smartphone app.

Matt Johnston from Digital Circle passed on some of his entrepreneurial wisdom to a captive audience, who then had the opportunity to hone their new business skills.   

Carol Fitzsimons, Chief Executive Officer at Young Enterprise Northern Ireland, was impressed with the enthusiasm and entrepreneurial potential displayed by the students. “We are delighted with the success of the Entrepreneurship Masterclass events. It is fantastic to see students working together in teams to develop innovative business proposals. 

“Young Enterprise aims to deliver programmes which are up-to-date and reflective of current business trends; therefore, this year, we decided that the Masterclasses should focus on one of our key growth industries: ICT.  

“Entrepreneurship education is a vital contribution to this region’s economic output, and the talent on display today certainly bodes well for our future prosperity.”

Michael Noble from Momentum echoed Carol’s sentiments, commenting: 

“As the representative body for the local ICT sector Momentum and also Digital Circle are delighted to support this initiative, given the highly entrepreneurial nature of the ICT industry.”

Young Enterprise Northern Ireland is building an interconnected world of young people, business volunteers and educators, inspiring each other to succeed through enterprise.  As Northern Ireland’s foremost business and enterprise education charity, all its programmes are based on the principle of ‘learning by doing’, to promote a culture of enterprise from an early age.  All activities are delivered by fully-trained business volunteers from partnership organisations and supported by the Department of Education, and a variety of public and private sector organisations.

To find out more about corporate support or volunteering opportunities, please contact Young Enterprise Northern Ireland on 02890 327003.

Last modified: March 8, 2017