Business opportunities

If Get Up and Go sounds good, try these other transition-year schemes.

AIB Build a Bank Challenge - Students set up a bank branch within their school. The programme is free of charge and includes support from AIB staff. The bank must be open for at least 30 minutes a week; 50 is provided for marketing. Students learn interview, technology, teamwork and financial skills and have the opportunity to participate in an end-of-year competition. Further information from www.aib.ie/buildabank.

Blast:Beat -  In this scheme, a variation on the Get Up and Go mini-company programme, students set up a record company, taking care of everything from scouting bands and organising events to recording and producing CDs. Marketing, financial, management and negotiating skills are all key, and an eye for talent does no harm either. The programme is free of charge. You can get details from www.blastbeat.org.

Step into Marketing -  Marketing is an area that attracts a large number of people; partly in response, the Irish Marketing Institute has set up this transition-year programme. For 40 a student, it covers areas such as identifying and increasing target markets, product and price assessment, market research and sales. Details from www.mii.ie/education.

Junior Achievement company programme - If a full or even a half-year is too much to devote to an enterprise project, Junior Achievement offers an eight-week programme in which a local business volunteer comes into school to guide a class through setting up a business. There is no charge, and participants can enter the Student Innovation awards. Details from www.juniorachievement.ie.

Globe - Junior Achievement also offers Global Learning of the Business Enterprise, a 12-week programme in which an Irish school works with a school abroad to negotiate a trade agreement or joint venture. Details from www.juniorachievement.ie.

TTBIZ - A third Junior Achievement offering, this is a 10-week programme that teaches students about the travel and tourism industry, as well as the ins and outs of the service industry. Another project in which students can liaise with their peers overseas.Details from www.juniorachievement.ie.