Entrepreneurs of the future get chance to show their creativity

Students from Northern Regional College with Mayor Thomas Hogg and Deputy Mayor Pat McCudden at the Young Enterprise event at Mossley Mill. INNT 48-109-GR

Over three days at Mossley Mill the charity brought its hands-on enterprise programmes to 260 P6 pupils and dozens of teenagers from schools and colleges across Newtownabbey.

The P6 children were challenged to use their creativity to design a new product for the drinks market that would appeal to young people.

The schools involved over the two-day event were St Mary’s on the Hill PS, Ballyclare PS, St MacNissi’s PS, Whiteabbey PS, Carnmoney PS and Ballyhenry PS.

The third day of celebrations focussed on the Northern Ireland tourism industry when 70 students from Northern Regional College, Edmund Rice College, Ballyclare Secondary School, Jordanstown School and Rosstulla School took part in sessions where they were urged to think creatively about business ideas for the tourism sector.

Each group formed their own company and developed business plans, marketing plans and sales projections, ending the day with a Dragons’ Den-style pitch to guest entrepreneur Deborah Hughes from Need for Speed.

The students were also excited to hear from Maria Doran, star of BBC Young Apprentice who gave her insight into working with the inimitable Lord Sugar.

Young Enterprise Northern Ireland is a charity, part funded by the Department of Education. It works with 100,000 young people aged 4-25 each year in Northern Ireland.

For more information about how to get involved email [email protected]