IPSE’s Education and Training Manager, Lydia Wakefield, blogs on her experience working with leading charity Young Enterprise.
We have seen a significant rise in the number of young people setting out as self-employed over the recent years.
In 2013, our research indicated that only one per cent of freelancers found out about this line of work from school. In terms of careers support, typically, schools and colleges have shown an emphasis towards progression to university, apprenticeships and direct entry into full-time employment.
Since joining IPSE I have worked with a number of schools and colleges, speaking with students at careers conventions and through presentations. I’ve been engaging with schools to introduce young people to the prospect of becoming self-employed, either when they finish school, while studying at university or further down the line in their career.
It has been inspiring to speak with young people who already know that they want to become their own boss at an early stage, and those who are keen to explore the option further.
This week I was working with Young Enterprise on their ‘Stepping On’ programme at STEM Academy Tech City. Starting in the morning with team work, observation and personality type activities, the students showed great enthusiasm. In the afternoon eight groups of Year 12 students were tasked with developing a business concept; taking into consideration their products and services, operations, finances, marketing, events and logistics.
All of the students were highly engaged, focused and competitive! At the end of the afternoon, each of the groups were asked to submit their business plans and pitch their business to the rest of their year group. As a judge of their efforts I was delighted to present awards for innovation, marketing, pitching, teamwork and best business.
It was impressive to see so many young people engaged with business concepts, identifying their personal business strengths, and excited by the prospect of setting up their own business. And all in the space of one afternoon.
This academic year I am looking forward to working closely with STEM Academy Tech City as one of their Business Advisors for Young Enterprise’s Company Programme. Founded in 1962, Young Enterprise are the UK’s leading charity empowering and engaging young people to develop their personal and business skill sets.
As a charity they work with young people from primary school through to university on a range of different programmes and projects, all designed to address business and personal skills. Their programmes encourage young people to explore their enterprise skills, and provide the opportunity to learn about business through practice.
Company Programme, which I will be involved with, provides students throughout the UK and Europe with the opportunity to set up their own business.
Students involved with the programme will need to identify their product or services, allocate positions within the company, raise capital to launch their company, and sell their product or services to the public – including at trade shows and markets. Each year company teams across the UK and Europe compete in Young Enterprise’s local, regional, national and European competition.
Practical programmes, such as those offered by Young Enterprise, help students to engage in opportunities that introduce the prospect of becoming self-employed as a viable option, as well as developing skills relevant to business environments.
IPSE are working to support young people who are considering becoming self-employed when leaving school, and encouraging young people to develop their enterprising skills while in education.
IPSE are working with organisations that support young people in developing work-ready skills and encourage self-employment as a career choice.
