David Stanton
Question:92. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the impact of the student enterprise programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62051/22]
View answerTuesday, 13 December 2022
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Written answers
The Student Enterprise Programme is a national initiative organised by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs). The Programme aims to foster an enterprise culture among post-primary students in Ireland. It embeds entrepreneurship and encourages students to consider entrepreneurship as a career path in the future. In November I launched the 21st Student Enterprise Programme for 2023.
The Student Enterprise Programme is the country’s largest second level enterprise programme with over 25,000 students taking part last year. The programme sees secondary school students from each of the 31 LEO localities compete in three categories: junior, intermediate and senior. The Programme combines classroom learning with real life experiences and equips students with the skills to set up and run their own business. It helps students to enhance creativity and improve their communication skills.
The programme has a great impact on fostering entrepreneurship in young people across Ireland. Students who take part benefit from the programme as it enables them to explore the concept of entrepreneurship, while helping build an entrepreneurial mind-set. The programme can help develop students’ ability to work as part of a team in a practical way. It also focuses on helping students enhance their creativity by encouraging them to build innovative businesses.
Not only does the Student Enterprise Programme encourage and foster a love of entrepreneurship, it also creates understanding on what is involved in starting a running a business from idea right through to making sales. No matter what these students do in later life they will acquire skills in this programme that they can bring with them into jobs and hopefully their own companies in the years to come.
Ultimately the programme opens up the possibility of becoming an entrepreneur to all students and helps to create future generations of successful entrepreneurs.