Minister Haughey opens Transition Year Mini Company
‘Get up and Go’ National Final

The Minister for Lifelong Learning, Seán Haughey TD today opened the Transition Year Mini Company ‘ Get up and Go’ National Final.

The event took place at the Osprey Hotel, Naas ,Co. Kildare.

The Mini Company ‘Get Up and 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.

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.

Students learn through group work, role play and team work and are introduced to the skills required of a company in a modern economy.

As part of the mini company programme, students also fill many of the key roles associated with running a business such as Managing Director, Financial Controller and Accounts Manager.

They 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.

Opening the National Final, Minister Haughey said

 ‘I know that there are participants from all over Ireland here today and your attendance is a sign of the huge success and popularity of the mini company programme.’

‘One of the particular strengths of the Transition Year Mini Company programme is that involves participation of the entire class.’

‘This provides opportunities to develop the ability to work both individually and as a member of a team and it also builds up each individual’s inter-personal skills.’

‘These are vital, not just in the workplace, but throughout all areas of life.’
‘It is also particularly poignant for me to be here today as the grandson of the late Taoiseach Sean Lemass.’

‘He will be remembered for the key role he played in the Development of Irish industry and for forging new links between the North and South of Ireland in the 1960s.’

‘To commemorate his special commitment  to the growth and economic development of Ireland, for the first time next month the Taoiseach will present the Lemass Award for Enterprise to the top three winner’s of today’s competition and the three senior winners of the Student Enterprise Awards,’ said Minister Haughey.

The impressive exhibition stands here at the National Final demonstrate the huge amount of work and commitment everyone involved has put in.

There is a wide range of businesses that have been set up ranging from technologically innovative products such as an emergency phone and i-pod  charger, to companies with a focus on sustainability- making products out of materials such as newspapers to selling vintage clothes and even an enterprise aimed towards supporting the local economy with loyalty discounts.

The Minister congratulated each and every student involved in today’s event saying

‘Today is your day.’

‘You have achieved much through your hard work and the experience of running your own companies gaining invaluable experience.’

'Ireland faces great challenges at this time and your entrepreneurial spirit which is clearly evident here this morning will be vital in ensuring our future growth and prosperity.'

‘I wish each one of you every success in whatever you choose to do in the future,’ concluded Minister Haughey.

Student Enterprise Awards-
400 schools have been involved in researching, setting-up and managing their own real-life student enterprises. Through the Student Enterprise programme, students learn how to brain-storm business ideas; they also learn how to identify solutions for everyday problems and they are encouraged to use their own talents in their entrepreneurial roles.