A former Ballakermeen High School student has inspired Manx charity Junior Achievement to establish an intern scheme.
Nick Collins was a member of the team Simple Minds that won the Junior Achievement Company of the Year competition and went on to participate in the European finals held in Estonia in July 2014. It was after this experience that Nick wanted to give something back to the charity so gave up his summer holidays to volunteer in the Junior Achievement office.
He was later offered a part-time intern role and after 12 months of volunteering and working with Junior Achievement has now left to take up full-time employment with software development company PDMS.
Junior Achievement chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘We were pleased but at the same time also a little sad when Nick said he was leaving. Pleased because his talents have been recognised by PDMS - a company that happens to be a long-time supporter of Junior Achievement - but also sad because he’s been such a valued member of the team, creating fantastic websites and graphics for our charity. He’s also passionate about Junior Achievement and would often work weekends and evenings unpaid.
‘Nick is an excellent example of what a young person can achieve if given the contacts and the opportunity. Although he’s no longer working for us he will remain a volunteer and we have no doubt Nick will be supporting us at future events.
‘Junior Achievement has now created an annual internship to give one Manx student the opportunity of working with our charity in the hope we can give them a platform to develop their entrepreneurial skills and go on to achieve bigger and better things.’
Nick Collins said: ‘The Junior Achievement company programme has increased my confidence and self esteem dramatically. I was very shy and quite nervous before taking part but the programme allowed me to network with business professionals, including Chris Gledhill at PDMS, and test myself in a commercial environment.’
‘After returning from Estonia in July 2014 I thought I should give something back to JA in return for the life-changing experience they gave me, so Sue let me undertake a month of work experience and then in December offered me a part-time job.
‘During my time at JA I have grown further in confidence and learnt many new skills. I have helped them to develop two new websites, www.coyc.im and www.thenextbigthing.im, and I am currently finishing the new JA website. I have also helped out with various events such as the car boot sales, which are always a laugh, the Company of the Year competition and The Next Big Thing.
‘JA also took me to Berlin this year with Elixir, the winner of the Junior Achievement company programme 2015, to experience the European finals all over again. Overall the experience has been extremely beneficial and I would strongly recommend any student to take part in the company programme or volunteer for Junior Achievement as the outcome can be life-changing. I will miss the team at JA but will continue volunteering and helping out where I can.’
To find out more about the internship scheme and the work of Junior Achievement, contact Sue Cook, 666266, sue.cook@jaiom.im
A former Ballakermeen High School student has inspired Manx charity Junior Achievement to establish an intern scheme.
Nick Collins was a member of the team Simple Minds that won the Junior Achievement Company of the Year competition and went on to participate in the European finals held in Estonia in July 2014. It was after this experience that Nick wanted to give something back to the charity so gave up his summer holidays to volunteer in the Junior Achievement office.
He was later offered a part-time intern role and after 12 months of volunteering and working with Junior Achievement has now left to take up full-time employment with software development company PDMS.
Junior Achievement chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘We were pleased but at the same time also a little sad when Nick said he was leaving. Pleased because his talents have been recognised by PDMS - a company that happens to be a long-time supporter of Junior Achievement - but also sad because he’s been such a valued member of the team, creating fantastic websites and graphics for our charity. He’s also passionate about Junior Achievement and would often work weekends and evenings unpaid.
‘Nick is an excellent example of what a young person can achieve if given the contacts and the opportunity. Although he’s no longer working for us he will remain a volunteer and we have no doubt Nick will be supporting us at future events.
‘Junior Achievement has now created an annual internship to give one Manx student the opportunity of working with our charity in the hope we can give them a platform to develop their entrepreneurial skills and go on to achieve bigger and better things.’
Nick Collins said: ‘The Junior Achievement company programme has increased my confidence and self esteem dramatically. I was very shy and quite nervous before taking part but the programme allowed me to network with business professionals, including Chris Gledhill at PDMS, and test myself in a commercial environment.’
‘After returning from Estonia in July 2014 I thought I should give something back to JA in return for the life-changing experience they gave me, so Sue let me undertake a month of work experience and then in December offered me a part-time job.
‘During my time at JA I have grown further in confidence and learnt many new skills. I have helped them to develop two new websites, www.coyc.im and www.thenextbigthing.im, and I am currently finishing the new JA website. I have also helped out with various events such as the car boot sales, which are always a laugh, the Company of the Year competition and The Next Big Thing.
‘JA also took me to Berlin this year with Elixir, the winner of the Junior Achievement company programme 2015, to experience the European finals all over again. Overall the experience has been extremely beneficial and I would strongly recommend any student to take part in the company programme or volunteer for Junior Achievement as the outcome can be life-changing. I will miss the team at JA but will continue volunteering and helping out where I can.’
To find out more about the internship scheme and the work of Junior Achievement, contact Sue Cook, 666266, sue.cook@jaiom.im.
Photo - Nick Collins. Courtesy of Andrew Barton.
