Pupils feeling entrepreneurial

Otago Boys’ High School Young Enterprise team members (from left) Jake Burgess, Brayden Foote,...
Otago Boys’ High School Young Enterprise team members (from left) Jake Burgess, Brayden Foote, Sebastian Whiston, Scott Alexander, Cody Thomson and Jak Stevenson (all 17) with Otago facilitator Julie Cheyne yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
Otago's Young Enterprise Scheme has had a massive increase in enrolments.

More than 300 high school pupils have joined the scheme this year, up from 127 last year.

The scheme, which is celebrating its 40th year this year, gives pupils the chance to create and run their own businesses.

Each team is usually made up of four to seven pupils, each with a specific role, including chief executive, communications, sales and marketing, and production and finance.

Fourteen Otago schools are competing this year; nationally, 4000 pupils and 200 schools have entered.

There was a push to get schools on board this year, Otago facilitator Julie Cheyne said.

Over the past few years, the programme had been revived to add more "extreme experiences" for the pupils, Ms Cheyne said.

"They’re kind of more outside the classroom experiences so they help with those lifelong skills for the students... to set them up, whether they then go on to start up their own businesses or become entrepreneurs."

Last year, the business Abalro, from Bayfield High School in Dunedin, was a regional winner and came second nationally.

The group, which made a profit, imported dried barberries and turned them into a powdered health product.

Next month, pupils will pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges over three days, after which they will complete a series of challenges.

The top six will be chosen for the regional final in October.

riley.kennedy@odt.co.nz

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