A GROUP of youngsters who took part in the Young Enterprise scheme have been so inspired by the experience they plan to form a new limited company to continue their work.

Pupils from St Georges School, Harpenden, set up the web design company Certus (www.CertusMedia.com) as part of the Young Enterprise initiative.

The Young Enterprise Charity is supported by more than 2,000 businesses across the UK.

Locally the Hertfordshire Strategic Board and the Area Board run it, both made up of volunteers from local business and educational organisations.

The aim of the scheme is to give young people the chance to set up their business and then try to make a profit.

Certus, through the Young Enterprise Company programme, set up a fully functional company.

They sold shares and marketed and sold their services in web design and hosting, having established a good business model.

Over the course of the year so far in business, they have been developing skills in team working, management, presentation, planning and finance and product quality control.

They are on track to make a real profit to distribute to their shareholders and will be completing a final report and accounts.

Certus won Best Display Stand, Best Company Report as well as the Company of the Year Award for 2006 at District Level and went on to win Best Trade Stand and Best Administration at a County Level.

Following their exit from the Young Enterprise Company Competition, the group behind Certus have no plans to shut up shop and wind down.

Instead, they want to move on from their Young Enterprise time to form a separate company outside of the scheme.

Within the next couple of months they plan to liquidate the Young Enterprise Company and form a new limited company to continue their work.

Andrew Biggs, the managing director, said: "Young Enterprise has been a superb experience for all of us and we have all learnt a great deal. It was an honour to win the awards that we have picked up and we have certainly learnt from the process.

"Unfortunately the judges didn't pick us on the night but we will learn from that and now focus on other areas of the business and establish them as we look to the future.

"Our thanks go to all at Young Enterprise and those who support it and we would also like to thank our business advisor, Chris Canfield, for all his support."

9:00am Saturday 27th May 2006

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