The national final of JA Company of the Year Competition 2015 hosted by DCU Ryan Academy, Citywest on May 13th and 14th was a thoroughly enjoyable entrepreneurial experience for students, teachers and mentors from Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick; The Royal and Prior Comprehensive, Raphoe, Co. Donegal; Royal School, Cavan; Mercy College, Sligo; St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare; Árdscoil na Tríonóide, Athy, Co. Kildare; St. Joseph of Cluny, Co. Dublin; St. Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross, Co. Wexford; Bishopstown Community School, Co. Cork and Coláiste Rís, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
After an intense two days of competition the judges eventually opted to choose ‘Guide a Key’, the team from Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick as the Junior Achievement Company of the Year 2015. The team designed and manufactured a simple solution to assist people with limited dexterity to insert their keys into locks. The device is affixed to the area around the keyhole; the user simply slides their key into the device, which then guides the key into the keyhole. ‘Guide a Key’ will now go on to represent Ireland at the JA Europe Company of the Year Competition in Berlin in July competing against 39 other teams from across Europe.
The judging panel comprised Eoghan Stack, CEO, DCU Ryan Academy, Julie Spillane MD Accenture Global Services, Padraic O’Neill MD & Site Lead Pfizer Ringsend & Mark Groves, Assoc Director PM Group. The panel was very impressed with the performance of the students across each element of the competition and had a very tough decision to make. The team from Limerick came out on top based on the combined scores given to the company’s business plan, the excellence of the work at the trade stand, the quality of their interview and the poise and professionalism of the business pitch and presentation in front of a large invited audience.
Gluck in Berlin!
Our pic shows Emma Herbert (Managing Director) and her fellow directors: Eamon Browne, Eoin Considine, Seamus Hurley & Diarmuid Curtin. (Photo credit: Marc O’Sullivan)