Young entrepreneurs win big at national awards ceremony with a special award for Lochaber teacher.
Issued by Young Enterprise Scotland.
The next generation of Highland and Moray’s young entrepreneurs proved the future of Scottish business is in safe hands when they recently showed off their enterprising talents at the Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) Awards (Tuesday 18th June).
After fighting off stiff competition from thousands of senior school pupils across the country, winning teams from 16 regions throughout Scotland battled it out for a host of business awards at Glasgow’s Thistle Hotel.
Big Foot from Mallaig High School were amongst the finalists having won their regional final with their children’s recipe and story book ‘Max the Monkey and the Choconana cupcakes’.
The event got off to a great start for the young company when guest speaker, Honorary Vice-President and hugely successful businessman Sir Tom Farmer took an interest in their product. He was so impressed with their product and the sales pitch from the young entrepreneurs that he bought a copy of the book for himself!
The evening continued to go well for the team of 6 when they came 2nd for the Marketing Society Star School Award and 3rd for Best Business Report.
Celebrating their success, 17 year old Managing Director Bryony Kirk said, “We are very proud of our product and sold over 70 books in just one day at our Christmas Trade Fayre. As a small team we are all heavily involved in the business. This also means we can all take pride in what we have achieved so far. It’s given us all the confidence and understanding of business on a practical level, I’d definitely consider setting up my own business in the future now.”
Their Link Teacher Jamie Kavanagh said, “The pupils have been on an amazing journey of self-discovery and the programme is an invaluable capsule experience in what can make a successful business. The business community should embrace YES because it nurtures the business leaders of the future and teaches them that anything is possible.”
A host of other titles were up for grabs with companies from across Scotland coming away with a prize. Shetland’s Slestered Peenie won an award for their trade stand which promoted their local cookbook while Glasgow’s ‘Dolly Creations’ were named Scottish Company of the Year and will go onto represent Scotland at the UK finals in London next month.
There was success too for those up for an individual award. Marie Meldrum, Link Teacher from Lochaber High School was named Link Teacher of the Year after a video clip of pupils singing her praises was shown to the busy Grand Ballroom at the Thistle hotel.
The event which was sponsored by BP, The Weir Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland, was attended by an audience that included school pupils, teachers and representatives of the local business community. The audience was addressed by YES Honorary Vice-President Sir Tom Farmer. He gave a rousing and inspiring speech where he told the young people he was jealous of all that lay ahead of them. His advice proved popular with the young entrepreneurs when he said, “Believe in yourself, keep the can do attitude, and never be frightened of things not working out.”
Currently in their 18th year, the YES Awards celebrate the success of its Company Programme, which is designed to inspire young people to try out their business ideas by starting up small companies as members of a dynamic team.
The young participants have faced a busy year which has seen them juggle traditional classes, essays and exams with sales events, marketing tasks and trading negotiations. Setting up and running their own company over the course of an academic year allows them to gain valuable business experience and develop tangible skills in all aspects of business operations.
Stuart Miller, Chief Executive of YES, said: “Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s awards.”
“It was an incredibly inspiring evening which proved just how capable Scotland’s young people are. These aspiring entrepreneurs face challenges through the Company Programme that prepare them for the world of work and the experience clearly equips them with vital business skills for the future. We’ve seen evidence of this time and time again at our annual awards ceremonies and tonight was no exception.”
The Highland Council and Highland Opportunity are the main sponsors of the Highland and Moray Area Board of Young Enterprise Scotland 2012/13.
–ENDS–