Enniskillen graduate, Richard Tanswell is among 15 people from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who have been chosen as the first budding business tycoons to take part in the Prince's Trust Enterprise Project.

Richard now faces the task of raising £20,000 in eight months through a series of mini business ventures and fund-raisers, which the group must plan, promote and implement themselves.

As well as raising much needed funds for the Prince's Trust N1, the tycoons will be gaining key skills in an innovative and creative way, including entrepreneurialism, teamwork and business skills.

Already, the graduates have had to face the firing line when they presented their ideas to a panel of experts that included Orla McCarron, Head of the Prince's Trust Enterprise Project in Northern Ireland, Maureen Taggart, Director of Personnel and Management Services at NI Housing Executive, Clark Bailie, Director of Finance at Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Jamie Delargy UTV Business Correspondent.

Maureen Taggart said he was delighted that Housing Executive staff were among the first to be involved.

"Not only are we helping young people in Northern Ireland', she said, " but we are gaining valuable training and experience for our staff.

We are proud to be associated with this exciting new project from the Prince's Trust and are confident in our graduates' success."