YOUNG ENTERPRISE TEAM WIN MIDLANDS FINAL
Sixth Form students from St Dominic’s have lots to celebrate after winning the regional Young Enterprise competition and a place to represent the Midland region in the national finals in London in July.
Felicitas, the Young Enterprise business team from St Dominic’s School, won with their innovative ‘I:charms’ designer headphones that they developed and manufactured. As part of the project the girls had to put together a full business plan which included research and development, followed by the manufacture and selling the product.
At the finals, held at Birmingham University, the team had to beat off stiff competition from schools that represented The Black Country, Coventry & Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Shropshire and Birmingham & Solihull. Felicitas won the ‘Best Presentation’ and ‘Most Innovative Company’ awards and the overall ‘Best Company’ award.
Sixth Former Kirsty Lord, Managing Director of Felicitas, said “We can’t start to put into words how proud and honoured we feel to be representing the Midlands in the national finals. The London trip will be over three days and is a mix of trade exhibitions, interviews and presentations so we have lots of work to do between now and July 12th. We would just like to say a big thank-you to our Link Teachers Mr Hey and Miss Mason and our business advisers from Areva T&D UK, Colin Hanson-New and Colin Haynes. The advice, help and encouragement that they have given to all the team has been amazing; we couldn’t have done it without them!”
Lin Read, Deputy Head, commented “The girls have worked extremely hard in setting up a successful and profitable business in only 8 months and their dedication has been rewarded by achievements in gaining the accolades they have. They are now concentrating on the finals to keep the high professional level that they have achieved up to this point.”
“Our Managing Director from last year’s team, DUO, impressed the judges so much that she won a university scholarship and a graduate job position on finishing her studies from one of the sponsoring companies last year, which just proves that this venture is of huge benefit to all pupils who take part.”