17 December 2004

YEP ! It’s all go!

Six young entrepreneurs recently fronted up for the first two days of the four-day training programme conducted by the Northland Polytechnic as part of the Young Entrepreneur Programme (YEP). The training marked the beginning of a very exciting future for these young people who have made the decision to take charge of their own futures by accepting the challenge to be job creators.

And what diverse futures they will be!

Kelly Wilson of Kamo High School will be continuing the very successful business started by the Smart Juniors Young Enterprise team as she further develops and promotes an outstanding learning tool for young children, whereas Krista-Leigh Meyer of Whangaroa College will be developing shooting tabs to be used by clay shooters around the country. Katrina Matete of Whangarei Girls’ High School has big plans to develop her on-line fashion marketing business.

Not to be out-done by the girls for variety, Tommy Ralph, ex Springbank School, is developing a small-boat hire business out of Russell, while two boys from Kerikeri High School are both developing a manufacturing-type business - David Bedggood with making jewellery boxes, and Glen Kearney manufacturing concrete koru.

Outgoing YEP Director Frank Leadley is delighted with the talent being shown. “These young people typify the whole essence of the YEP,” he stated. “They are innovative and want to use their ideas and enthusiasm to the full to really do something positive in their lives. And Lou van Es and the Northland Polytechnic team are bringing their ideas to reality.”

Incoming YEP Director David Templeton agrees. “I am just blown away by what the YEP is able to do for young people, and what they in turn contribute to the programme. It is a unique Northland project, and it is just awesome to be a part of it.”

But they are not there yet. These first two days of training are followed up by two more in February, and then the YEP aspirants have to make a presentation to the YEP Business Start-up Panel to ensure their fledgling ideas really do have the feathers to soar, and to continue the success of those already carving out their own futures.

ENDS

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