St Patrick’s students pitch in at Young Enterprise event

STUDENTS from St Patrick’s College in Banbridge recently joined other young people from across Northern Ireland to learn the secrets of creating a positive employment future at the Young Enterprise Northern Ireland Tourism Entrepreneurship Masterclasses, supported by Craigavon Borough Council.

The event took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week and was aimed specifically at 14-18 year-olds who were encouraged to think about opening their own business as a viable and exciting career option.

Inspired by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s ‘Our Time Our Place’ campaign in 2012, the young participants had the opportunity to learn more about business opportunities in this key growth sector.

During the event, held at Craigavon Civic Centre, students learned how to develop 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 different schools, they developed a business plan, which involved designing and presenting their own tourism event to a panel of industry judges in a ‘Dragon’s Den’-style pitch.

On hand to offer his advice on the subject was ‘Jedi’ Jim Eastwood from ‘The Apprentice’ who gave a dynamic presentation on “How to Deliver a Perfect Pitch.”

Cathy Morrison, senior development manager of Young Enterprise Northern Ireland’s Southern region, was impressed with the enthusiasm and entrepreneurial potential displayed by all the students.

“We are delighted with the success of the Entrepreneurship Masterclass events,” she said. “It is fantastic to see students from so many different schools throughout the region working together in teams to develop innovative business proposals.”