Primary school children from across Powys have made it through to the national final of a competition which aims to find and encourage the most promising young business talent in Wales.

As part of the Welsh Government's 'Enterprise Troopers' competition, pupils from three Mid Wales schools will battle it out against other young entrepreneurs from across Wales, and present their shortlisted idea to a number of Big Ideas Wales Role Models and entrepreneurs in a bid to win the national title.

Pupils Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School, Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd in Newtown and Ysgol Llanbrynmair wowed the judges at the regional final of the Enterprise Troopers Competition at The Hafren. Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School impressed with their business idea which designed and produced reusable bags in order to make Rhayader town plastic free, while Ysgol Llanbrynmair’s business produced handmade soaps.

The final successful school, Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd, turned their school into film producers with their business idea ‘Oscars Dafydd Llwyd', airing films at awards evenings.

Speaking at the event, Angharad Davies, teacher at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd said: “We’re so proud of our pupils for making it through to the national final of Enterprise Troopers. They’ve worked really well as a team and impressed us all with their flair for business. Fingers crossed they have what it takes to go all the way.”

The competition aims to help pupils to apply their creativity and enterprise skills in a practical way and to give them an opportunity to showcase their achievements in business, to compete and thrive in changing world.

Showing their support for the pupils at each regional final are four ‘super-troopers’, each representing the key attributes of entrepreneurship: attitude, creativity, relationships and organisation.

Other businesses on display included Clyro Church School in Wales’ enterprise making bird food and bird feeder, while Carreghofa CP School made a calendar which promotes local businesses in the area.

As well as the Newtown event, other regional finals are taking place across Wales this month– in Llanrwst, Caerphilly and Pembrokeshire – ahead of the national final in Cardiff in July.

Cheryl Gourlay, national enterprise manager from the event’s associate sponsor NatWest Cymru said of the competition: “It’s vital that we encourage entrepreneurial attitudes in children from an early age, to allow them to develop life skills and talents that are essential to their development.

“All of the children who presented their business ideas today are showing clear signs of being budding young entrepreneurs and we hope they continue to develop their entrepreneurial flair and business ventures over the years to come.”

Sara Clutton of regional sponsor The Hafren, said: “I was highly impressed by the creativity and drive shown by all the students today. Enterprise Troopers is a great event which allows primary school children to develop entrepreneurial skills from a young age.

“There is some promising young business talent in Wales which was evident at today’s event.”

Enterprise Troopers in Newtown is also sponsored by Curriculum Links - Impact School Improvement, ECO/Environmental Award and Keep Wales Tidy / ECO Schools.