The largest student entrepreneurship programme in the country was launched earlier this week, for its 23rd year. The Student Enterprise Programme, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, has seen over 400,000 students take part since it began.
Over 28,000 students from almost 500 secondary schools across the country took part in the 2023/2024 programme, which is funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country.
Participating students will compete across three categories, Junior (1st year), Intermediate (2nd and 3rd year) and Senior (4th, 5th and 6th year, LVA, LCA and Youth Outreach). Each student enterprise is challenged with creating, setting up and running their own business, which must show viable sales of their service or product.
Following county and regional finals, student enterprises from across the country will take part in the final on May 8th 2025, where they will compete to be named overall Student Enterprise of the Year 2025.
The Student Enterprise of the Year for 2024 was ‘High Lift’ from St. Patrick’s Classical School in Navan, Co. Meath. The idea, created by Sean Finnegan and his business Finnegan Fabrication, manufactures portable cranes that can be fitted to the interior of commercial vans to help those in construction and similar industries to lift heavy materials in and out.
TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS
Gareth Evans, Chair of the Enterprise Education Committee, Local Enterprise Offices, said they receive ‘an overwhelming number’ of entries for the programme.
“The Student Enterprise Programme continues to play a key role for the Local Enterprise Offices in helping to foster entrepreneurship and business skills in students at an early age. Each year we receive an overwhelming number of submissions which shows the true appetite amongst Irish school students who wish to learn the skills and practices
for a successful life in business and no doubt this year will be no different.
“No matter what happens they are transferable skills they can bring forward in their lives and that’s the greatest thing about the programme. We’re looking forward to seeing all the amazing ideas coming through from the Student Enterprise Programme Class of 2025.”
