Inspiring the Young Innovators and Business Leaders of Tomorrow

Supporting and Inspiring the Young Innovators and Business Leaders of Tomorrow

South West College’s InnoTech Centre is delighted to announce its involvement with two new Youth Innovation initiatives; the ‘Young Innovators Programme’ and the ‘Dungannon Commercial Awareness Programme’.  The Centre’s involvement, through its associations with BEP and the Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council, is the latest initiative by the organisation to promote creative thinking and entrepreneurial skills within young adults in the South West region.

The Young Innovators Programme aims to encourage innovation, invention and enterprise among students aged between 15-21 years based in the Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council area.  This initiative is designed to challenge students to come up with unique and inspiring ideas for a new product or service within the following categories: Engineering, Food Science/Technology, ICT/Software, Construction and Green Energy.  Throughout the programme, successful students are provided with mentoring from industry professionals to help develop their project idea and on completion of the programme the students’ work will be acknowledged at an awards ceremony early next year.

The Dungannon Commercial Awareness Programme will be delivered by the InnoTech Centre to students from secondary schools in the Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council area and is designed to introduce young people aged 16-21 years to the world of international stocks, bonds, shares and traded services through an exciting and interactive series of group sessions.  The emphasis will be on giving students a sense of how the world of stocks and shares can impact on daily life.  To make the programme as true-to-life as possible, the students will have the chance to work in teams to invest £100,000 in virtual portfolios through the prestigious ‘IFS Student Investor Challenge’.  Through this challenge students will compete with teams across the UK for a host of prizes, including an all-expenses paid educational trip to New York.

In addition to the prizes associated with the UK-wide IFS Student Investor Challenge, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP will award a PwC Cup and prize to the best performing team and school in the Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council area. 

Martin O’Hanlon, partner at PwC’s Dungannon office, says;

“PwC is delighted to be supporting this competition.  It’s a rare opportunity for students to gain this type of practical experience in a competitive environment and this can only be of benefit to those who aspire to be the next generation of business leaders in the Dungannon and South Tyrone area”.

Schools across the Dungannon and South Tyrone District Council area are encouraged to get involved.  Michael McAlister, Curriculum and Business Development Manager, South West College said;

“This is a great way to get young students focused on extra-curricular activity or combine these programmes to work towards a school project. The benefit to students of entering these programmes will increase their confidence and inspire and excite them to study these subjects further in life”.

Deputy Mayor Councillor, Pat Daly stated;

“These opportunities will give our young people an insight into technology, business and finance which they wouldn’t receive through textbook learning.  Encountering successes and pitfalls through conceptual product designs and virtual stock portfolios will bring home the impact decisions and planning can have on individuals, businesses and communities.   I wish these young people every success”.

For further information on these exciting new programmes, log on to www.theinnotechcentre.com or contact:

Dungannon Commercial Awareness Programme – David Murray

Tel: 0755 234 1013 or email: david.murray@swc.ac.uk or visit www.commercialawarenessprogramme.com

Young Innovators programme - Shirley Lamont

Tel: 0845 603 1881 Ext 4233 or email: shirley.lamont@swc.ac.uk or visit www.younginnovatorsawards.com