Jack Dobson, co-founder and owner of Dunbia and winner of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 has visited St Patrick’s College in Dungannon to impart some entrepreneurial advice to a group of its students.
The eight students have reached the Northern Ireland finals of the Young Enterprise Company of the Year competition by setting up and running a company called Enlighten Hope which produces books aimed at providing guidance, hope and inspiration to children and their families who face a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Jack Dobson took time out to meet the team and give them some tips and guidance to help them progress further.
“This is an exceptional group of students who have impressed me with their entrepreneurial vision, determination and passion,” explains Jack. “They have created a trading company which is as professional and driven as many small businesses in Northern Ireland and is a credit to their teachers and the YE Company of the Year programme. As an entrepreneurial business, Dunbia firmly believes that we should encourage entrepreneurship in young people and I hope any advice I can give, will help this group of students progress in the competition and in their future careers.”
The finals of the Company of the Year will take place on 29th April in Belfast with the winner announced on 12th May. An individual award for Entrepreneur of the Future will also be presented. Enlighten Hope Managing Director Iveta Liovinaite is on the short-list for this award which offers a trip to Canada as a prize.
“The YE Company of the Year programme has been an exceptional opportunity for our students who have worked extremely hard to establish Enlighten Hope which has become very successful,” adds Mrs Hughes, Head of Business, St Patrick’s College. “We are indebted to Jack Dobson who has taken time out of his very busy schedule to advise our pupils. Jack is an entrepreneur in the true sense of the word whose achievements speak for themselves. Dunbia is an exceptionally successful company and Jack is EY Entrepreneur of the Year. He is the type of business man our pupils aspire to become and he has given them real boost to go on and win the YE Northern Ireland Company of the Year.”
Enlighten Hope’s series of books can be purchased on http://www.enlightenhope.co.uk/shop.html