Small people urged to think big for business

Chocolate treats, wellies recycled as plant pots, and computer coding lessons, are among the ‘brainchildren’ of some of the country’s youngest budding innovators.

And the success of these 100-plus ideas from fifth and sixth-class pupils at around 90 schools last year has prompted the programme that inspired them to expand across the border into the North, and set a goal of doubling the number of participating children to 10,000 this year.

Kerry businessman Jerry Kennelly is behind the Junior Entrepreneur Programme, which began in just a small number of counties a few years ago.

He should know a thing or two about getting things right in the world of innovation, having sold his own Stockbyte digital image company for more than €100m in 2006.

But the idea is not about getting kids thinking about business and profit at the expense of their normal learning, as Mary Immaculate College in Limerick helped to ensure that the content is in line with the primary curriculum.

“There is no cost to the schools and the benefits are enormous. It has been proven that pupils who participate in entrepreneurship programmes demonstrate increased initiative and self-confidence,” said Mr Kennelly.

The idea is to foster a culture that could help create jobs in the future, with the message being that it is never too young to think about business.

“Children are creative and curious by nature, and these are just two of the skills required to be successful in business,” Mr Kennelly said. “Through JEP, we want to show kids just how much fun creating, working and succeeding in business can be.”

,Mr Kennelly has enlisted 23 partner firms in 21 counties, including two in Derry and Down for the first time, whose staff will guide teachers and pupils through the 10-week introduction to business start-ups. But unlike events for older students, there is no competitive edge, just a chance for children to enjoy the fun of coming up with their own ideas and even maybe make a profit to put back into their schools.

The use of teamwork, and plenty of tasks involving literacy, numeracy, and development of children’s communications, are central aspects, as demonstrated by boys and girls of Baltydaniel NS outside Mallow, Co Cork, where their Blooming Wellies proved a big hit with local business mentors and in their community.

At Vicarstown NS near Blarney, the Crafty Cards crew learned finance, marketing and design skills coming up with their self-decorate greeting cards business. There was significant success for the pupils of St Brigid’s National School in Duagh near Listowel, Co Kerry, earning €4,500 from sales of their clay magnetic St Brigid’s crosses with the aid of teacher Lisa Keane.

And also knowing their market well, a sixth class group at Monaleen NS in Castletroy, Co Limerick, sold Munster, One Direction, and Justin Bieber wristbands, invested their initial profits in wider stock, and donated their final profits to charity.

Promoting innovation

Efforts to ensure a spirit of innovation is maintained among students and staff through to third-level must be led by Government strategy, a union representing academics said.

The Irish Federation of University Teachers wants junior minister Damien English, whose role spans the departments of Education and of Enterprise, Jobs, and Innovation, to take a lead on the issue.

It says five key areas need to be urgently addressed — among them tackling the factors that led to the emigration of 29,000 graduates last year.

IFUT general secretary Mike Jennings said research and innovation staff are being demoralised by anomalies which must be removed from salaries, contracts, job conditions, and security.

The union is seeking a removal of the embargo on university staffing levels and wants enough staff to be recruited to take account of increased student numbers in recent years, as well as a reversal of provisions on lecturers’ pay and conditions in the Haddington Road Agreement. “Minister Howlin has already signalled an intention to review pay restraint in certain areas. The Minister for Finance has signalled an intention to tackle taxation levels,” Mr Jennings said. “We need a clear and coherent commitment to tackle the root causes of the increasing malaise in our education system, to ensure provision of world-class education standards into the future,” he said. He said education must be excluded from the terms of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement to ensure innovation is retained in the education system, and to prevent expansion of private companies seeking to turn education into a profit-making business.

— Niall Murray