Business School announces free Young Entrepreneur Summer Camp

GMIT School of Business will run a free Young Entrepreneur Summer Camp for 20 second level students this summer. The programme is part of a national initiative announced earlier this year by the Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton, funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Kevin McDonagh and Ivan McPhillips, lecturers in Enterprise, Creativity and Innovation, will lead the delivery of the camp from the GMIT Innovation Hub at the Dublin Road, Galway campus. The summer camp is for secondary school students in Galway city and county, aged 12 to 17 years. It will run from Monday 17 July to Friday 21 July, from 10am to 4pm (except Friday – 10am to 1pm). Participation is free and lunch /refreshments are provided each day.

The course is designed to meet a key objective of the National Skills Strategy 2025, the promotion of  entrepreneurial thinking and design skills among secondary school pupils.

Kevin McDonagh and Ivan McPhillips have many years of experience in mentoring and encouraging GMIT students to participate in national and regional competitions such as

• Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur;

• Enterprise Ireland Student Enterprise Awards;

• The Ericson Innovation Awards;

• GMIT Student Innovation Awards; and the,

• SCCUL Student Enterprise Awards.

Considerable success in these events includes GMIT students achieving first, second and third places in local, national and international competitions. Enterprise and innovation modules are a common feature across all of GMIT’s business programmes. The GMIT Entrepreneur Summer Camp will help second level students to develop ideas and present them to a panel of judges at the end of the summer camp. The programme will span idea generation to commercialisation, and involve workshops, lectures, guest speakers, practical exercises, field trips, and a site visit.

The programme will be delivered by experienced GMIT lecturers with the assistance of guest experts and entrepreneurs.

Kevin McDonagh explains: “Prizes will be awarded to participants based on the quality of the ideas they develop and their pitching of those ideas to the panel of judges. Inclusion of a competitive aspect to the camp will help stimulate the creation and dynamic development of business ideas, helping participants develop creative confidence, entrepreneurial thinking and leadership skills.”

For more information and to apply, please contact kevin.mcdonagh@gmit.ie tel. 091 742340 or ivan.mcphillips@gmit.ie tel. 091 742608. Closing date for applications is Friday 10 July, 5pm.

For information on GMIT School of Business programmes, see: https://www.gmit.ie/business/school-business