ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland Door Group (Door Group) was delighted to sponsor the recent Young Enterprise Northern Ireland (Young Enterprise NI) Blast Off Programme award at the Dragons’ Den-style event, reinforcing its dedication to supporting young people in developing essential entrepreneurial skills.
Brian Sofley, Managing Director at Door Group, proudly joined the panel of judges to assess students’ innovative business ideas as part of this dynamic programme.
This is the latest event that sees Door Group continuing its role as a Young Enterprise NI Impact Partner. Through this partnership, Door Group colleagues actively engage in various programmes to provide valuable guidance and mentorship to students across Northern Ireland. Its team members have contributed their time and expertise to several Young Enterprise NI initiatives.
Sofley explains: “Over the past two years, I have been actively involved in mentoring student companies as part of the esteemed Company Programme. This initiative empowers students aged 15-19 to establish and manage their own businesses, offering them the opportunity to earn real profits and compete for prestigious awards.
“In 2024, our mentored team from Friends’ School Lisburn, called BottleUp, successfully claimed the title of Northern Ireland Company of the Year. BottleUp’s innovative approach of upcycling plastic bottles into decorative flowers and arrangements not only impressed regional judges but also earned them the Creativity Award at the UK-wide finals.
“Continuing our commitment this year, we are currently supporting another two teams from Friends’ School Lisburn, Pebble Portraits (@pebbleportraits_ye), and SecondSip (@secondsip_ye).”
The company’s involvement extends beyond mentoring. Recently, Lisa O’Hanlon, Door Group’s new Financial Director, participated in a Learn to Earn event at St Ciaran’s Community School in Ballygawley.
In addition, Steven Cunningham, Door Group’s Engineering Manager, is involved in the Business Beginnings programme with P7 students in Millington Primary School. Both programmes engage with students to help them understand the value of skills, career planning, and financial literacy.
Sofley added: “Our continued partnership with Young Enterprise NI underscores ASSA ABLOY Door Group’s dedication to empowering future generations with the skills, confidence, and experience they need to succeed in the world of business.”
To learn more about Door Group and the range of products and services it provides, go to https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en.
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