Winners announced at Young Enterprise Welsh Company & Team Programme of the Year Awards

Young Enterprise’s Welsh Company and Team Programme of the Year Awards took place on Thursday 25 May in partnership with the University of South Wales (USW). Since Young Enterprise’s Company Programme began 60 years ago, 7.2 million people have participated the programmes and 1.1m companies have been created.

Eight teams of young people, aged 15 and above, who took part in Young Enterprise’s Company and Team Programmes came together to compete against each other for a special place at the UK National Company of the Year Final to be held on 6 June 2023.

There were teams of young people from across Wales representing mainstream secondary schools and special educational need schools.

Judges from HR Department, Princes Trust, Transcend Packaging, NatWest, Principality Building Society and USW crowned Dan Draed, from Ysgol Bro Teifi in Llandysul, as the overall winners and they will now go on to represent Wales at the UK National Final.

The winners in all the categories were:

• Wales Company of the Year: Dan Draed, Ysgol Bro Teifi
• Wales Company of the Year – Runner-up: BLK Clips, Blackwood Comprehensive
• Wales Team of the Year: CG Shop, Coleg Gwent
• Sustainability: Dan Draed
• Customer Service: Seeds for all Occasions, Bridgend College
• Creativity & Innovation: BLK Clips
• Team Work: Dan Draed
• Best Presentation: Kinda, Queen Elizabeth School
• Marketing: Cwtch in a Cup, The John Frost School
• Financial Management: Dan Draed
• Most Appropriate for Export: BLK Clips

Sera Evans, USW’s Associate Director of UK Student Recruitment, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Young Enterprise to host the Welsh Company and Team Programme Final, especially as this year’s event aligns with the charity’s 60th anniversary. Congratulations to all the winners, and good luck to Dan Draed in the UK Final.”

Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, said:

“Taking part in our Company and Team Programmes helps to prepare young people for the world of work. It was wonderful to see so many young people from across Wales, who have developed such strong enterprising mindsets and set up such fantastic businesses.

“At Young Enterprise, we are passionate about creating meaningful opportunities, which support young people to build confidence and critical skills that have real potential to enhance their futures.

“We believe that giving young people opportunities to develop and apply new learning within a practical, real-world setting has the potential to make a real contribution to the future productivity of Wales. Benefitting them, their families, their communities and the economy overall.”