MTU Student Enterprise Camp – breaking barriers, building beliefs through inclusive innovation

Abstract

Cork, Ireland—

• Established in 2012 by Munster Technological University (MTU), the MTU Student Enterprise Camp is a leading youth development initiative in the county of Cork, Ireland. The Camp provides free-of-charge training and practical support to secondary students in the areas of entrepreneurship, employment and skills development.

• With the financial assistance of the Higher Education Authority of Ireland, the programme has benefited over 500 young people to date from both urban and rural communities in the county of Cork. The programme aims to remove financial and geographic barriers to participation in the Camp and encourages inclusion through 50/50 gender balance.

• The success and positive impact of the Camp can be attributed to the strong community partnerships, a dedicated team, a focus on EDI, free access to programmes, and a curriculum that combines entrepreneurship, practical and soft skills with societal awareness.

What are the objectives?

Based in the county of Cork, Ireland, the MTU Student Enterprise Camp is a leading regional initiative, providing youth development to mainly secondary students in the areas of entrepreneurship, employment, and skills development. The Camp empowers young people from schools in both the city and county, with a particular focus on students from regional and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.

The programme responds to challenges that affect young people in the region, including unemployment, barriers to entrepreneurship, socioeconomic deprivation, and limited access to activities and opportunities in remote areas of the county. Some areas in Cork face socioeconomic challenges, particularly in education coupled with Ireland's youth unemployment rate being significantly higher than the overall general working age population. Socially, teenagers aged 13-17 have limited activities to engage in during the summer months of June to September. The geographic diversity of Cork – comprising urban, rural and very remote areas – can also limit access to opportunities for young people in certain areas. The Camp consistently aims to remove these financial, accessibility, and geographic barriers, fostering gender-balanced and inclusive participation.

How does it work in practice?

With funding provided by the Higher Education Authority of Ireland (HEA), the MTU Enterprise Camp is spearheaded by the Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence at Munster Technological University. The Camp co-ordinators contact all 85 secondary schools in Cork city and county inviting students aged 13-17 to take part in the Camp, with a concerted effort to attract students from disadvantaged and regional areas. The Camp runs over three days during the secondary school summer holidays, across two locations: one rural and one urban. The Camp is designed in short 30-minute slots for a jam-packed, dynamic and engaged Camp.

The Camp is specially designed to equip students with practical entrepreneurship, digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving skills. Participants also develop essential soft skills such as confidence, empathy, and a keen awareness of societal challenges. Engaging in activities like the Spaghetti/Marshmallow Challenge, LEGO Serious Play, Design Thinking Workshops, and Company Crisis Management Simulations foster entrepreneurial thinking. Student interaction with entrepreneurs and visits to local businesses provide real-world experience as the Camp leverages partnerships with local industry, entrepreneurs, educators, and community organisations to provide talks and a network for young participants to tap into.

What has been the impact?

Since 2012, the Enterprise Camp has engaged 512 students in urban and rural communities. With the programme fully funded by the University from 2012 to 2016, the HEA has been providing financial support since 2017, totalling EUR 112 527 to date.

Twelve years after the first, week-long Camp took place in August 2012 with 25 second-level students, the dedicated MTU team now reaches students from 85 secondary schools over an area of 12 300 km² and has grown to deliver the free Camps to approximately 90 young people annually. Importantly, the programme achieves gender balance through 50/50 participation.

The Camp's positive impact is evident in its high participant satisfaction rates: 90% of attendees would recommend the programme to peers, indicating a strong positive impact. Additionally, the camp maintains a low drop-off rate of just 10% throughout its duration.

What can other communities learn from this example?

The MTU Student Enterprise Camp demonstrates what can be achieved for youth development through strong community partnerships, a dedicated team, a focus on inclusion and diversity, free access to programmes, and a practical curriculum that combines entrepreneurship, hard skills with softer skills, and societal awareness. Factors that underpin the programme’s success include:

• Building strong relationships with local businesses, educators and community groups.

• Offering the programmes free-of-charge, with a strong emphasis on inclusion and participation from disadvantaged and regional areas.

• Consistency in programme delivery, government support, and adaptability to changing political, social, economic, and technological needs.

• Persistent effort to overcome financial, accessibility and geographic barriers to young people’s participation.

Potential areas of improvement include evaluation of programme impact, building new partnerships, and incorporating emerging technology, while expanding the programme to a wider age group and introducing mentorship opportunities.

Further information

• Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence | MTU Enterprise Camp

• Facebook | MTU Enterprise Camp

OECD resources

OECD/European Commission (2023), The Missing Entrepreneurs 2023: Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/230efc78-en.

OECD (2022), "Rural entrepreneurship and start‑ups", in Unlocking Rural Innovation, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/60d226dd-en.

Thompson, S. (2013), "Entrepreneurial Activities in Europe - Evaluation of Inclusive Entrepreneurship Programmes", OECD Employment Policy Papers, No. 4, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5jxrcmkm81th-en.

Noya, A. and E. Clarence (2013), "Entrepreneurial Activities in Europe - Social Entrepreneurship", OECD Employment Policy Papers, No. 3, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5jxrcml2kdtd-en.