Secondary school students taking part in Young Enterprise’s flagship Company Programme in Wales will set up trade stands and sell their products at St David’s Cardiff.
The students will showcase their own business ideas, selling products they have designed themselves to guests in the city shopping centre on Wednesday 15th February. The stands will be located in the Atrium area of St David’s Cardiff, close to Boots, Pravins and H Samuel. Funds raised from the sale of any products will go towards the school and future projects.
Young Enterprise is a national charity that motivates young people to succeed in the changing world of work by equipping them with the work skills, knowledge and confidence they need. Company Programme, Young Enterprise’s flagship enterprise education programme supported nationally by HSBC, sees students across the country set up and run a real business or social enterprise over an academic year.
Young Enterprise research shows Company Programme participants develop key employability skills and a longitudinal study of Company Programme alumni has shown that in the two years following their company’s closure, 94% are in education, employment or training [EET] – 7% higher than the national rate.
Students from schools across Wales have made all the decisions about their business, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products.
The student-designed companies will compete to win awards on the day, judged by retail managers from St David’s. The judges, Helen Morgan and Richard Stephens-Knott, Centre Director and Assistant Centre Director of St David’s, alongside River Island Store Manager Caroline O’Hara, will decide which students will win awards for Best Product, Best Trade Stand and Best Presentation.
Some of the teams who plan attend the Young Enterprise Wales Spring Trade Fair include:
- Maesteg Comprehensive School
- St Cenydd Community School
- Coleg Y Cymoedd
- Queen Elizabeth High School
- Bishop Hedley High School
Bethany Young, Educational Partnerships Manager of Young Enterprise, said: “It is always fantastic to see students from Wales selling their products at Trade Fair Events. The students have been working extremely hard and the experience and skills they have developed will give them the confidence, knowledge and skills to succeed.”
One of our Wales Young Enterprise teachers from St Joseph’s R C Comprehensive School in Port Talbot said: “I have been involved in education for over 25 years and I truly believe that this programme should be in the school curriculum. As a new group starting out on The Young Enterprise Programme, I just wanted to say what a great experience both the students of St Joseph’s and I are gaining. We are only just starting out but already the pupils are in the process of setting up an events company…I have been so impressed with the outside help and the programme itself. I have spoken to our headmaster and told him how much the programme has developed our pupils and they are presenting their ideas to him next week. I felt it important to give the praise which I think the programme deserves.”
Helen Morgan, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff, said: “This initiative gives young people an invaluable opportunity to see what it’s like to develop their own product and launch their own business. Seeing their products on sale within a real shopping centre next to high street names and designer brands will be an incredible experience for the students. Not only are we excited to see what they have created but we hope it will help inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
