CIT hair sample system tests positive with judges

A SYSTEM for randomly drug-testing employees, using hair samples, won a national student entrepreneur award yesterday.

The system, developed by two Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) students, Cathal Kenneally, 22, from Rochestown, and Anna Ford, 22, from Spur Hill, beat off competition from four other finalists to win the Enterprise Ireland College Entrepreneurs of the Year title at Carlow IT yesterday.

Having seen a similar programme in the US some years ago, Cathal brought the system back to Ireland.

Together with his fourth year Business Studies classmate, Anna, they developed the non-invasive system through their Guardian Employee Assurance Services company.

Anna said under their system, employees are chosen at random for testing to ensure that no one feels victimised.

A small sample of hair is sent for testing to a lab, where it is screened for traces of a range of drugs, including cannabis and heroin.

“We’re delighted with the win. I’d like to thank our lecturer, Aoife Hackett, and CIT’s industrial liaison officer for their help,” she said.

Employee drug testing is a growth area.

A recent survey by Personnel Today magazine showed that 40% of employers in Britain have either started, or are considering implementing drug- testing among employees.

But Anna said: “We’re keeping our options open but we will use the prize money to further our project. Now we’re focusing on our final exams.”

More than 400 students entered the competition.

Now in their 21st year, the Enterprise Ireland student awards, sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland and Ulster Bank, promote entrepreneurship among third level students.

The competition has a prize fund of €40,000.