Northland's young entreprenuers accept another challenge

14 December, 2005

ENTERPRISE EDUCATION : MEDIA RELEASES 2005

Record numbers of students are opting to further develop their ideas and businesses utilising the support and training provided by Northland's Young Entrepreneur Programme (YEP). In the past year, the students have all participated in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) in which students form companies, market and trade their products and services and wind their company up at the end of the year. YEP gives the students the opportunity to restart, or continue with new companies.

The initiative is a partnership between Enterprise Northland and the Northland Polytechnic who provides training with the aim of completing a business plan for the purposes of obtaining financial assistance. The participants then set up and manage their venture in the real world. Ongoing mentoring and support is provided on a regular basis.

The latest group of Young Entrepreneurs come from Whangarei Boys' High School, Whangarei Girls' High School, Kerikeri High School and Springbank School in Kerikeri.

Business concepts include developing a food outlet based around providing a unique eating experience, producing an innovative new surfing tool, and marketing high quality gift baskets to high end tourist and corporate clients.