More than 3,500 entrepreneurs aged between 10 and 12 years old have showcased their products and businesses at Ireland’s first Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) Showcase at the RDS Dublin. Having turned over €220,000 collectively, these successful 5th and 6th class entrepreneurs have generated over €140,000 in less than a year.
Every county in Ireland and Northern Ireland was represented at the JEP Showcase, where primary school children demonstrate their creativity, innovation and business acumen giving celebrity judges and some of Ireland’s leading business people a hard time in selecting the best products, teams and business strategies.
Founded by Jerry Kennelly, the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) is a nationwide, free programme to promote entrepreneurship from a young age. Aligned with the primary school curriculum, the programme enables primary school children to explore the world of business, convert their ideas into commercial opportunities and discover the thrill of business, while also building confidence, developing skills in problem-solving, presentation and team work.
“It’s inspiring to see 10, 11 and 12 year old children turn ideas into businesses and create products that people are willing to pay for,” commented a spokesperson for the event. “In an adult world, these children are given free rein to discover their own hidden talents and creativity. They discover what they’re good at and experience the joy of a shared goal with their class. Teachers and pupils talk about the revelation of previously unknown skills among the class – and are all buzzed by the confidence of achieving real world business success in the classroom. JEP gives children a chance to stand on their own two feet and to show the world what they can do at an early age.”
Pictured above: Students Judy Nolan, Amy Power, and Conor Donnelly of Bunscoil McAuley Rice, Callan, Co Kilkenny.
Photo by: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
