Annual free programme to empower students returns to Limerick

TO NURTURE creative and entrepreneurial skills will be the quest for post-primary students this June with the return of an annual free programme.

The Empower programme, created by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), will see school students search for solutions to current local and global challenges.

The free programme, running in Limerick from June 6-9, will be returning for its seventh year and by the end, will have participants present their business idea to be in with a chance to win prizes across categories including Overall Winner, Best Innovation and Most Creative Pitch.

While Empower challenges students to work in teams and think innovatively, an “important” part of the programme is also to “have fun” and “meet new people”, according to Trish O’Sullivan, Enterprise and Community Engagement Manager at MIC.

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“Each year, Empower endeavours to deliver a fun, exciting and interesting entrepreneurship programme for young people that also encourages active citizenship,” Trish said.

“Giving students the opportunity to meet with entrepreneurs, visit local companies and work with the staff there is hugely beneficial to participants but equally, the social and personal development aspects of the programme – having fun, meeting new people, teamwork, new experiences – are just as important.”

Participants will be presented with the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals and are asked to consider the issues that arise. Throughout the week, the students work in teams on the development of a product or service to address the need that they have identified.

Funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), this year the Limerick week includes a visit to the new MIC Craft Maker Space, where they will have the opportunity to partake in 3D printing and laser cutting, as well as much more, to help students prototype their ideas.

Referring to “resilience” and a “journey of discovery”, Head of Innovation and Enterprise at TUS, Gillian Barry, said: “Empower is more than a camp - it's a journey where learning is exciting.

“We believe that the experience gained at Empower will be transformative for all participants, enabling them to become confident, resilient problem solvers, and we look forward to witnessing the brilliant ideas and innovations that emerge across both weeks of the camp this year.”

A camp in Thurles, Tipperary will also take place from June 20-23.