MORE than 40 young entrepreneurs have put their new business plans to the test in an attempt to impress a panel of professionals.
The SKILL! programme invited pupils from Ashfield Girls’ and Ashfield Boys’ School to team up with experienced mentors from Allen & Overy and PwC to pitch innovative concepts to a panel of leading industry figures.
The winning idea, from Ashfield Girls’ School, was a new smartphone app which aims to provide advice on mental health and well-being for young people. Other ideas included a performance measurement tool for footballers, a device to improve wheelchair accessibility and solar chargers for mobile devices.
The intensive one-day workshop, which returned to Belfast for a second year, encourages pupils to consider starting their own businesses and helps develop practical work-related skills including, communication, clear thinking and teamwork.
Developed by Visionpath Education, it complements key strands of the school curricula while improving confidence and the vital skills of budding entrepreneurs.
Ciaran McCallion, head of human resources at Allen & Overy, was part of the judging panel. He said: “We have seen some clever ideas and it’s exciting to see the next generation of entrepreneurs think and adapt to business challenges. Everyday our teams use the techniques explored today to reach positive outcomes inside and outside our firm.
“This is about giving young people a chance to benefit from real world experiences and coaching and develop their skills for future success.”
PwC associate partner and panel member Michael Kane, emphasised the importance of developing entrepreneurial attitudes in schools: “This generation will determine the long-term future prosperity of Northern Ireland and we need to stimulate their curiosity, confidence and an entrepreneurial approach to opportunities and challenges.”
Commenting on the benefits of the initiative Patrick Philpott, founder of Visionpath Education, said: “SKILL is a rewarding and challenging programme giving young people rare access to high calibre coaching and a unique experience of the business world. We’re fortunate to have leading professionals to mentor the students.
That creates a powerful learning experience to inspire our next generation and equip them with the means to unlock their potential and improve their skills and career options.”