The next generation of entrepreneurs gained a unique insight into the world of business after Manx charity Junior Achievement, in association with Barclays, held a Global Entrepreneur Day at Ballakermeen High School.

The event was in support of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the global campaign celebrating entrepreneurs and was attended by Year 12 students from Ballakermeen High School, Castle Rushen High School, Queen Elizabeth 11 High School, King William’s College and Ramsey Grammar School.

The Year 12 students are currently participating in the Junior Achievement company programme and during the day attended masterclasses given by four successful young entrepreneurs who later held a question and answer session hosted by Manx Radio’s John Moss. The students were also tasked with a team-building exercise facilitated by the Junior Achievement team with support from of business volunteers Adam Jones, Sean Gritton, Nigel McFarlane, Mike Murley and Paul Wiseman.

The students heard craft beer club Beer 52 founder James Brown, SuperJam founder and Junior Achievement ambassador Fraser Doherty MBE, start-up specialist Kate Lord-Brennan and advertising creative Neda Shadanlou speak of their early days as fledgling entrepreneurs, the highs and lows of starting up in business on their own, and the power of social media. The four also offered advice on how best to bring a product to market, central to which they agreed was ‘tenacity and perseverance’ or in the words of Fraser Doherty, ‘give your idea a shot’.

Junior Achievement chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘Feedback from students and teachers has been extremely positive. To have four young entrepreneurs each with a fascinating story to tell about their personal journeys on the road to creating their own successful businesses was a great way to inspire students taking part in the company programme. The masterclasses were a rare opportunity to learn about the real world of business from the experts and I’m enormously grateful to James, Fraser, Kate and Neda for giving so generously of their time, experience and wisdom and also to Barclays for their support.’

Ian Kay, head of sixth form at Ballakermeen High School said: ‘The Global Entrepreneur Day has provided an amazing opportunity for students on the Company of the Year programme to hear about the journeys of some awe-inspiring entrepreneurs who are just a little older than they are. The day has given them the chance to see theory in practice, many of them rushing away to apply advice given by the entrepreneurs to their own companies and products. On behalf of company programme participants from all of the Island’s schools, a huge thank you is due to the team Junior Achievement Isle of Man for allowing our students to meet the presenters, each of them at the cutting edge in their field.’

To find out more about the work of Junior Achievement visit jaiom.im.

Photo - Global Entrepreneur Day tasked students with a team-building exercise. Picture Andrew Barton.