The Student Enterprise Awards City Final took place at the Printworks in Dublin Castle on Tuesday the 15th March 2016. Among the special guests there were the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr. Richard Bruton T.D. and Councillor, Daithi Doolan.
“Delighted to deputise for An tArd Mheara Criona Ni Dhalaigh, at today’s student Enterprise Award. A total of 1,600 pupils from Dublin entered. Today was the Dublin finals. Great energy, imagination and spirit shown by all entrants. These young people are a credit to themselves. They have developed many different enterprises ranging from animal feed, recycling old vinyl, to picture boxes. Maith sibh!!,” Councillor Daithi Dollan tweeted on Tuesday.
This year there were 177 students from 23 secondary schools competing to get into the Student Enterprise Awards National Finals that will be held on the 20th April 2016 at Croke Park. Each year over 17,000 students take part in the Student Enterprise Awards Programme. The winners at yesterday’s City Final will now be competing with up to 300 other student entrepreneurs from every county in Ireland at Coke Park.
The Awards are being co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Dublin City and was launched in September. Since then all the participating students have been running their own businesses and finding out what ‘it is like to be your own boss’. They have not been left alone to handle all this pressure by themselves, the young entrepreneurs had their teachers and the Local Enterprise Office helping and guiding them all the way. The Printworks at Dublin Castle was filled with stands to exhibit the students and their businesses – ready for the judges to come around to see who the winners would be for the Nationals.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, commented: “A key part of our plans for jobs and growth is encouraging more businesses to start up, expand and create the jobs we need. Central to this is, encouraging more students to consider entrepreneurship as a real career option. Through the Dublin City Student Enterprise Awards, the Local Enterprise Offices have, once again, demonstrated their commitment to bringing a taste of real life business into the classroom. By supporting the aspiring entrepreneurs of today, the LEOs are fostering the job creators of tomorrow.”
The Minister concluded: “I believe it is hugely important to continue to develop links between the education system and the real economy, so that school leavers are adequately equipped with the skills, expertise and practical knowledge of business operations that will enable them to consider self-employment as a career option. I congratulate all involved in this project and wish them every success for the future.”
Schools who participated on Tuesday were:
Paul’s College, Sybil Hill, Raheny, Dublin 5
Aidan’s C.B.S., Collins Avenue Ext, Whitehall, Dublin 9
Dominic’s College, Cabra, Dublin 7
Kevin’s College, Crumlin, Dublin 12
Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf, Dublin 3
Loreto College, Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
Alexandra College, Milltown, Dublin 6
Joseph’s C.B.S., Fairview, Dublin 3
Our Lady Of Mercy College, Beaumont, Dublin 9
Assumption Secondary School, Walkinstown, Dublin 12
Michael’s Secondary School, Finglas , Dublin 11
Conleth’s College, 28 Clyde Rd., Dublin 4
Institute of Education, Leeson St, Dublin 4
Sandford Park College, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Mercy College, Coolock, Dublin 5
Terenure College, Templeogue Rd., Dublin 6w
Beneavin de la Salle College, Finglas, Dublin 11
Declan’s, Cabra, Dublin 7
Louis High School, Rathmines, Dublin 6
Stratford College, Rathgar, Dublin 6
Kevin’s College, Finglas, Dublin 11
St Mary’s Secondary School, Glasnevin, Dublin 1
John Scottus, Donnybrook, Dublin 4
The Dublin winners will go on to compete with the rest of the country on Wednesday the 20th April, so keep an eye and an ear open for more on the National Awards Ceremony. It is great to see so many young people joining the world of business and taking responsibility at such a young age, they need all the support they can get. Well done Dublin entrepreneurs!
