Partner Article

College students given entrepreneurial boost

Regional college students will have the chance to find out what it takes to start a business at an Entrepreneur Academy in Durham. There are 30 fully funded places available to students selected from Further Education Colleges across the North East region at the event, which runs from 9 to 11 July.

The three-day programme, which takes place at Durham University’s Trevelyan College, will focus on exploring the viability of the business ideas of the delegates as well as developing their entrepreneurial potential. Students will learn from business owners, gain an understanding of marketing, business planning and funding and be able to test their ideas in a supportive setting. Those wanting to take their idea further will be shown where to go for further help and support.

One NorthEast Enterprise and Business Support Manager, Dorothy Kelly, said: “We have set ourselves the challenge of expanding our business base by an additional 18,500–22,000 businesses over the coming decade. One of the ways we will meet that challenge is by inspiring more young people to start a business and the Entrepreneur Academy is a great way of helping to achieve this.”

Bill Ogilvie, Manager of the Association of Colleges Business Development Network, said: “The Entrepreneur Academy is a shining example of how the FE sector is working with key partners to boost productivity and prosperity in the region. Colleges have a pivotal role to play in promoting and developing entrepreneurship through innovative projects like the Academy and by embedding entrepreneurship in the curriculum.”

The Academy is funded by One NorthEast in partnership with QED Consulting and the Association of Colleges. Applications should be made through the website at www.entrepreneuracademy.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .