Education and Business

‘Entrepreneurs of the Future’

Businesses can benefit from involvement in the enterprise education programmes which help develop the ‘entrepreneurs of the future’. These programmes provide the opportunity for businesses to build links with local schools, contribute to developing the skills of potential future employees and enable existing staff to develop their own management and business skills. The local programmes are Young Enterprise and Education Business Partnership.

Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise is a national organisation aimed at helping young people learn about enterprise and business. The Young Enterprise programme offers students direct experience of enterprise through working together to run their own real company. There are also seminars and classes to help students to develop skills for enterprise, business and the world of work.

Businesses can become involved through providing staff as advisors to the Company Programme and assisting with seminars and master classes. This can bring benefits for businesses. Particpation in Young Enterprise can help businesses deliver their Corporate Social Responsibility Agenda; provide a cost-effective staff development programme for employees at all levels; have a positive impact on the local economy and local employment and help to ensure a better motivated, educated and enterprising workforce; and help create PR opportunities.

A number of businesses in the Malvern Hills area are involved with the Young Enterprise Programme. One such company is QinetiQ in Malvern, who have supported Young Enterprise for several years.

“Working as an Advisor for Young Enterprise has been a very rewarding experience for me. All the companies I have worked with have been very creative and full of ideas and the experience has been very inspiring”. Simon Wheeler, HR Business Partner, Operations S&DU, QinetiQ.

For further information please contact Eileen Stead, Regional Development Manager for Herefordshire & Worcestershire on 01299 877484 email: sworcsye@btinternet.com

Education Business Partnership

EBP is the principal agency for brokering education business links and support for enterprise across the county. Working with the EBP will enable businesses to have a direct influence on the way young people are taught about business; develop employees in new and different ways through working with local teachers and students; and raise their profile in the local community.

For further information contact Terry Owens, Worcestershire EBP Manager on (01905) 740145.