Primary school pupils and business people from across Orkney will meet their local MSP and Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Jim Wallace MSP at the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, on Friday 30 April.

Up to 80 young people aged 9 to 11, along with their teachers and classroom assistants, are expected to visit the centre to take part in a one-day Primary Enterprise Challenge, organised by the Schools Enterprise Programme which is managed locally by Careers Scotland.

The participating schools are: Burray, Dounby, Eday, Evie, Firth, Flotta, Glaitness and Glaitness Aurrida, Hope, North Ronaldsay, North Walls, Orphir, Papa Westray, Papdale, Pierowall, Sanday, Stenness and Stromness

Working in teams of 10, the pupils will be set the task of creating artwork for a specific area of the new local newspaper.

Expert guidance will be provided by John Ross Scott, editor of Orkney Today, which is hosting the contest.  The pupils will also be encouraged by teachers, assistants and young achievers from Kirkwall Grammar School.

Judging will take place at lunchtime, when the young people will be joined by a cross-section of the islands' business community to hear local MSP Mr Wallace speak on the topic of 'Enterprise in Education'. 

[QUOTE FROM DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER]
Recognising the achievements of the Orkney pupils, Mr Wallace commented:

"I am delighted to be attending the Enterprise Challenge later this week. I'm really looking forward to seeing Orkney's young people practising the skills they're developing through the Schools Enterprise Programme.  The SEP is helping schools to adopt an enterprising culture, stimulating creativity, team working, and decision-making in the classroom.

"I've had the privilege of seeing Enterprise in Education projects in different parts of Scotland, but it will be a particular pleasure to see the efforts of my own constituents.

"It's this enterprising culture that our strategy for Enterprise in Education,  Determined to Succeed aims to spread and I'm delighted Orkney Islands Council is embracing the challenge.

Organiser Kathleen Houghton SEP Enterprise in Education Support Officer at Careers Scotland, said the event main aim was to provide pupils with a positive experience of the world of work, and to utilise core skills of negotiating, problem-solving, decision-making, planning, co-operation and communicating.

"The Primary Enterprise Challenge will enable pupils from different schools to work together on a real-life task and the winning group will have the added pleasure of seeing their design in print.

 "At the same time, we are delighted to be able to offer the business community a chance to network and to meet the Deputy First Minister."