Young entrepreneurs from Belfast High School have been crowned UK Company of the Year runner up at the Young Enterprise national final.

Young entrepreneurs from Belfast High School, Northern Ireland, who had already been crowned Young Enterprise Northern Ireland Company of the Year, have been crowned UK Company of the Year runner up at the Young Enterprise national final.

Over 13,700 students participated

550 people tuned in online this week to celebrate the fantastic achievements of young people across the UK taking part in this year’s Young Enterprise Company Programme. The competition, which saw 13,700 students participate over the last 10 months, celebrated the top 14 student companies set up and run over the academic year with winners announced by Young Enterprise Alumna Steph McGovern.

‘Offshore’ from Belfast High in Northern Ireland won over the judging panel with their unique bespoke products, using broken glass transformed by waves. ‘Offshore’ aim to combat our climate crisis in a unique and innovative way, using seaglass to create beautiful frames and jewellery, which remind us of the beauty of our shores helping preserve our environment.

Speaking about their National win, Jacob Patterson, MD of Offshore, Belfast High School said: “To say we are over the moon about winning this award is an understatement! We still can’t quite comprehend what has just happened but we are extremely proud to have represented Northern Ireland and to come second, we are overjoyed.

First and foremost I want to say thank you to my amazing team who were so passionate and driven throughout our time in the Company Programme and also to Belfast High School and in particular Mrs Crawford. Starting off as individuals it is safe to say we have become a family; we have developed so many vital skills, resilience, persistence and adaptability. The programme has given us the confidence to achieve anything if we put our mind to it. Thank you to all the Young Enterprise NI team for this amazing opportunity”.

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Speaking about the win Carol Fitzsimons, MBE, Young Enterprise NI CEO said: “The team here in Northern Ireland are delighted for the Belfast High School team and staff. The creativity they demonstrated, and the success of their business has had to date is testament to their hard work over the past year.

If ever there was a time when resilience, adaptability and teamwork matter most, this is it.

Our Company Programme provides a real-life learning opportunity that introduces young people to the realities of the world of work. Company Programme students develop their key employability skills by making all the decisions about their business, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products.

You don’t get this stuff from a text book and we are greatly encouraged by our research which shows that 94% of Company alumni go on to education, employment or training – 7% higher than the national average.”

For more information on how to register for this year’s Company Programme, contact: programmes@yeni.co.uk