SERC Business Student Scoops Innovation Award

A @S_ERC student has secured a funding pot through Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Mayor’s Innovation Fund which will help him develop his digital based platform which is set to change careers education for young people.

Kenny Galloway (30) from Moira, was awarded £5,000 for the Youth Entrepreneurship Award.   The young man works in marketing and sales consultancy and is a part-time student with SERC, currently completing the CMI Level 5 in Management and Leadership.

Kenny said, “When I started SERC for the Management and Leadership course, I heard about the Entrepreneurship Club and reached out to them about my project. They were able to help push me forward with invaluable support from Innovation Advisor, Natasha Lloyd and Terence Brannigan, SERC’s Entrepreneur in Residence.   This has helped me develop my innovative Edtech solution, Sprout, an exciting new careers platform – using gamification, digital technology, data and psychology – that aims to inspire young people so that they can take control of their future. It was through the Club that I heard about the council’s Innovation Award and decided to apply.

He added, “I am absolutely delighted with the Youth Entrepreneurship Award funding presented by former Mayor, Councillor Nicholas Trimble. It will help me take my idea for Sprout to the next level in terms of testing the concept. Essentially, the short-term aim is to re-create careers education for the 21^st century and the long-term vision is to create happier workplaces.”

Dr Michael Malone, Director of Curriculum and Information Services at SERC said, “I am delighted Kenny is in receipt of this Innovation Award for something so exciting and innovative. His project is an example of the student activity ongoing at SERC where we actively encourage all students to embrace enterprise and entrepreneurship through a framework of Project Based Learning. Students develop transversal skills such as innovative thinking, teamwork, problem solving, communication, leadership and have access to mentoring which can help turn their ideas into student businesses and careers.   As well as gaining qualifications, our students are preparing for employment and that can mean setting up their own businesses.”