Press release

ESB Customer Supply sponsors The "Mini Company – Get Up & Go

Up to 550 Secondary Schools and 28,000 Transition Year students stand to benefit from a comprehensive business skills course sponsored by ESB Customer Supply and launched on Wednesday Feb 3rd by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Batt O’Keeffe.

The “Mini Company – Get Up & Go” programme is designed to promote an understanding and appreciation among Transition Year students of how business works and to promote the development of entrepreneurial skills and an overall interest in enterprise education in students.

Each class and teacher becomes involved in setting up a company, including all the roles associated with running a business, selling shares, generating capital, offering a service or producing a product, operating the company, and at the year end winding up the company.

Speaking at the launch, The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD, said: “Almost 30,000 students take part in the Transition Year programme each year. It gives students opportunities to engage in cross-curricular activities. The formation of Mini-Companies by students is a perfect example of the type of projects that should occur in Transition Year. By backing the ‘Get up and Go’ programme, ESB Customer Supply is supporting the development of entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity in students because they can design, produce and market goods and services”.

“Students gain an invaluable insight into how business works and in many cases that has led to the formation of successful Irish companies when students leave school”, he added.

ESB Chief Executive, Padraig McManus, said the promotion of business skills are more crucial than ever in today’s extremely difficult economic environment.

“This economic crisis will pass and an upturn will come. Our young people coming through the education system must be prepared and ready to take full advantage of that and be enabled to seize opportunities that lie ahead. This Programme can play a very valuable role in initiating and promoting business talent among students who will go on to become business leaders of the future”, Mr McManus said.

The National Coordinator of the Transition Year Programme, Michael O’Leary said “Looking at environmental issues as part of the Transition Year Mini Company Programme is a most welcome addition. As well as developing their entrepreneurial skills during the process of setting up and running a business, students will also be aware of energy efficiency and sustainability. With this in mind I applaud and thank ESB Customer Supply for sponsoring the Transition Year Mini Company Get up and Go Programme”.

Students will learn through group work, role play and team work and will be introduced to the skills required of a company in a modern economy. As part of the mini company programme, students will also fill many of the key roles associated with running a business such as Managing Director, Financial Controller and Accounts Manager.

They will hold “board meetings” and update the mini company team on the progress of the company. The programme endeavours to develop students’ social and personal, time management, and research and presentation skills.

Six regional finals will be held in March. From these, over 30 projects will be selected to go forward to the National Final, to be held in May this year. A category incorporating sustainability, energy efficiency, green issues, recycling is included as part of the programme.

Projects will be adjudicated on the following categories –

• Marketing
• Accounts
• Quality of Product
• Sustainability/ Environment
• Originality
• Stand Presentation

ESB Customer Supply will have representation on the adjudication panel at the Regional Finals & the National Final.

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