2021 Wexford Student Enterprise Awards Announced

Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Wexford Student Enterprise Programme Awards, held in association with the Wexford Enterprise Centre which were announced recently following a live-streamed awards presentation. Approximately 860 students from 16 post-primary schools across County Wexford took part in the annual programme this year.

The three winning student entrepreneurs hail from Bridgetown College, Wexford CBS, and St Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross and will represent Co. Wexford at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Friday, May 14. Once again, this year’s National Final will take place online, with approximately 80 teams logging in from all over Ireland.

Lauren Williams from Bridgetown College won the Senior Category with her company ‘Irish Sea Mist’. Lauren produced her own sea-based natural ingredient face mists which have sold very well for the young entrepreneur. In the Intermediate Category, Evan Dwyer from Wexford CBS won for his handmade candles and soaps, ‘Evan’s Handmade Gifts’. The Junior Category was won by twins Grace and Issy Walsh from in St Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross. The sisters produced and sold a fun Wexford-themed card matching game called ‘2 Peas in a Pod’. In total, 24 trophies were awarded to different student mini-companies from across County Wexford.

The very first Student Enterprise Awards Programme in the country was established in 1994 by Wexford Enterprise Association and Wexford County Enterprise Board, now known as Wexford Local Enterprise Office. Since 2003, this successful enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 29,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part last year. The program supports students to create, design and market their own business as well as learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.

Congratulations to all the students and teachers who participated.

Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise and #WexfordSEP on social media.

Keeping the engine running: Liz Breen – Group Operations Officer

It’s been some time since all those who work within Wexford Enterprise Centre and the other divisions of the larger Wexford Enterprise Association have been able to meet up in person. Though even in ‘normal’ times, it could be said that one of the key team members of the Organisation, Group Operations Officer Liz Breen, is heard more than seen. But for more than a decade, Liz has been a fundamental part of Wexford Enterprise Association’s growth.

Liz joined Datagroup in 2010 as Operations Officer. Datagroup is part of the social enterprise division of the organisation. Into this role, she brought her extensive background in Information Management and Data Protection and, working directly with the Group Chief Executive Brendan Ennis, she oversaw the development and implementation of Datagroup’s policies and procedures, as well as its quality and security systems.

In 2018 Liz was elevated to the position of Group Operations Officer to work with the CEO on operational matters across the Organisation’s three divisions of social enterprise, entrepreneurial development and social advancement.

Leadership, strategic implementation and attention to detail are core to Liz’s achievements within our Organisation. They say if you want something done, ask a busy person. Liz is just that person. Her long involvement with Ferns Drama Group and the local GAA is just another example of how experienced she is at keeping things running in large organisations.

Marking International Women’s Day, it’s timely to highlight the need to have women represented in Sr. Management positions. Women make most of the social and economic decisions for their families and account for the greatest percentage of consumers. Women’s influence, skill and experience needs to be reflected in both the provision and the consumption of business.