Young Enterprise
Our Post-16 students have the opportunity to take part in the Young Enterprise Team Programme, an exciting initiative that builds confidence and essential life skills. Working together, students set up and run their own real company, making key business decisions — from choosing a company name and developing a product to managing the finances.
Their products are sold to the public at Young Enterprise trade fairs, giving students valuable hands-on experience in the world of business. Through the programme, participants develop teamwork, adaptability, an entrepreneurial mindset, and employability skills that will support their future success in any career path.
In October, our companies had the honour of being invited to the Gobal Innovation Summit at Queen’s University Belfast, where they proudly showcased and gifted their products to Hillary Clinton.
Young Enterprise 2023/2024
Piece by Piece
Piece by Piece’s mission statement is to make quality, handmade crafts. They certainly lived up to their name and created a range of Christmas decorations and Valentine gifts made from locally gathered natural resources, putting them together ‘piece by piece’. The company was awarded the Best Team Runner-Up at the Belfast Regional competition in Castle Court. Codie Wynne was awarded a Special Recognition Award for Contribution to her company at the St George’s “Big Market” event, where the team competed against all of the other schools in Northern Ireland.
Spectrum
Spectrum’s desire to produce colourful, handcrafted suncatchers proved to be a very successful business idea. They diversified their range, adapting their suncatchers to make Christmas tree decorations, Valentine gifts, and Easter window decorations. Spectrum was awarded Best Team Winner and Best Display Winner at the Belfast Regional competition in Castle Court. Joseph Rooney was awarded a Special Recognition Award for Leadership following his interview with six judges. Spectrum went on to win the Northern Ireland Company of the Year, and their presentation placed them Runner-Up in the nationwide competition.
Young Enterprise 2024/2025
Drip Drop
Drip Drop’s innovative idea to create colourful, bespoke umbrellas has proven to be a resounding success. The team was crowned Best Team Winner at the Belfast Regional Competition in Castle Court, where Ritche wowed the judges with an outstanding sales pitch, earning the title of Best Salesperson. Building on this success, Drip Drop delivered a fantastic presentation that secured them the prestigious title of Northern Ireland Team of the Year 2025. The team attended the Young Enterprise NI Awards Evening at Belfast City Hall, where they were proudly presented with their award in recognition of their creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Park’s Pixels
Park’s Pixels’ vibrant mosaic kits were every bit as colourful as the certificates the team collected throughout the year. In January, the team produced and filmed a creative advertisement to promote their kits ahead of Valentine’s Day. Using green screen technology and imaginative visuals, they crafted a captivating 30-second clip, which they submitted to the Young Enterprise UK Advert Competition. Their hard work paid off when they were named Runners Up, receiving both a certificate and a £50 cash prize.
Building on this success, Park’s Pixels went on to film and submit an engaging presentation about their company for the Young Enterprise UK Best Presentation Competition, where they once again impressed the judges and secured the position of Runners Up at national level. The Judges Commented: “Your finished designs look amazing, and it was great to hear about the skills you have developed and the profit you have made. It was a creative and engaging presentation which clearly explained the product, as well as the skills gained.”
