Invest NI helps to make future entrepreneurs

As part of National Enterprise Week 2006, Invest Northern Ireland has organised two ‘Go for it - Youth Days’ at the Lisburn Leisureplex, from Thursday 16 to Friday November 17.

Over 700 children aged between 14 and 16 are expected to attend the event, which has been specifically designed to give them an insight into the skills and personal attributes needed to become a successful entrepreneur.

Ian Murphy, Managing Director of Clients and Entrepreneurship at Invest NI said: “Successful entrepreneurs form the backbone of any successful society. By encouraging our young people to take up the business challenge, we will be better able to ensure the future prosperity of the Northern Ireland economy.”

The event centres around six interactive zones, each focusing on a particular aspect of entrepreneurship giving the children a brief taste of the skills and attributes needed to run a successful business.

The zones themselves will be hosted by a number of Invest NI’s enterprise partners including, Shell LiveWire, Young Enterprise Northern Ireland (YENI), the Prince’s Trust, Sentinus, alongside invited guests Cinemagic and the Sonic DJ academy.

A number of prizes including top of the range MP3 players were also awarded to young people who demonstrated a strong degree of creativity and entrepreneurial flair.

The event comes after the launch of Invest NI’s Entrepreneurship and Education initiative, which will, over the next two years, provide over 128,000 young people with the skills and drive they need to one day start up a business or become more entrepreneurial in whatever career path they choose.

Delivered by YENI along with the Association of NI Colleges (ANIC) and the NI Centre for Entrepreneurship (NICENT) it will help make entrepreneurial education a vital part of the school curriculum.

Mr Murphy concluded: “Only by incorporating a more comprehensive and dynamic approach to entrepreneurial education in our schools, throughout each stage of a child’s development will we be able to produce the business leaders of the future.”

Enterprise Week is a national celebration of enterprise aimed at encouraging and inspiring people to become entrepreneurs and start a business. It will run until November 19 2006

For more information visit www.investni.com/enterpriseweek