Student company rewarded for smart tech plan
A team of students from the Newtown campus of the NPTC Group of Colleges has taken first prize in a competition organised by the Positive Pathways Powys group.
Now they are looking to take bookings for their business, Smart Integrate, which aims to help people who aren’t IT confident fit smart technology into their homes or businesses.
The partnership challenged learners in high and special schools and further education students in Powys to come up with an idea for a business which would work in the county.
As well as picking up a trophy, the winning team, which beat off more than 30 entries, also picked up £200 worth of gift vouchers, courtesy of What About Me Training Ltd and Weale’s Wheels. The team has also been invited to make a presentation to the county council’s Cabinet later this month.
Powys County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander chaired the judging panel at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells on Wednesday, and said: “Powys is an enterprising county where small business is the backbone of our local economy and judging from the enthusiasm and vision we saw, our young people will have all the skills and enthusiasm to drive our economy forward.
"It was a pleasure to listen to their brilliant ideas and it was very hard to pick a winner: as judges, we felt we were the real winners having the opportunity to hear their detailed, practical and inspiring plans.”
The Positive Pathways Powys group earlier this month held the third Powys Careers Festival at Llanelwedd, where some 3,000 learners from across Powys were able to see around 100 exhibitors to find out what options are available to them when they leave compulsory education.
The group is made up of Powys County Council, high schools in the county, Careers Wales, Cambrian Training Ltd, the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) and the NPTC Group of Colleges.
