Students in Troon will be the first in Scotland to achieve the equivalent of a Higher for their entrepreneurial skills, when results are officially announced on Tuesday, June 2.

Despite lockdown, and the need to complete their assignments online, the students from Marr College will be informed by their teachers that they have successfully completed the Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) “Company Programme” .

That makes them the first in the country to gain the new SCQF accredited qualification, introduced at the start of the 2019/20 academic year.

The students had to establish an operational business to demonstrate practical skills in management, finance and marketing as well as show an entrepreneurial drive.

Geoff Leask, CEO of Young Enterprise Scotland congratulated everyone who took part in this year’s company programme under particularly challenging conditions.

He said: “This is the first year that students participating in our Company Programme could achieve a ‘Higher’ equivalent qualification and Credit Points for their hard work and I applaud everyone who took part.

“As it turned out, they could not have faced a more challenging set of circumstances and yet their commitment and resilience during the coronavirus lockdown has paid off. These students can justifiably call themselves leaders as the first to hold the new qualification.”

He continued: “The aim of YES is to reach young people from all backgrounds and the accredited Company Programme opens up opportunities to those who perhaps don’t respond to traditional, academic subjects but have a drive and an ability to succeed. The numbers taking up the qualification in the first year is hugely encouraging.”