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College News
20 April 2004
Enterprising Royal Holloway students get down to business
Budding entrepreneurs were rewarded for their efforts recently at a Young Enterprise Graduate Programme prizewinning afternoon at Royal Holloway, University of London.
The national Young Enterprise Graduate Programme, now into its second year at Royal Holloway, enables students to learn business and entrepreneurial skills by setting up and running their own company. This year, four student companies at the College pitted their business skills against each other, with victorious joint-winners SPARKS and S2U receiving £125 each for their respective enterprises.
Dr Hitesh Patel, Deputy Head of Research & Enterprise at Royal Holloway, co-ordinated the project in association with the registered charity Young Enterprise UK. "YES helps students to gain an understanding of the potential of small and medium-sized companies as future employers, and to consider self-employment and business creation as a future career option," says Dr Patel.
The scheme enables students to develop key employment skills such as communication, report writing, teamwork and leadership, while making them aware of business-related issues such as stock control, pricing, financial planning and marketing.
Both winning companies imported or manufactured products to sell to fellow students and to local markets. S2U, comprising 7 students from China and France, sold stationery and mobile phone accessories imported from China, while the four students in SPARKS sold hand painted mugs, picture frames and candle holders. The other two teams who took part were Fresh Promotions, a company organising promotional events, and Poorstudent.com, a web-based enterprise advertising student services.
Each group worked under the supervision of a business advisor, who acted as a mentor. This role was fulfilled by local business people: John Tunsall of Founder Systems; Adam Dalby of iTrak; Roger Huckerby of Thinking Safe and James Richardson of Proctor and Gamble. Enterprise Tutors Steve Hughes, Afua Osei and Jennie Clark and YES Area Director for Surrey Trevor Mitchell also provided invaluable support.
The successful Young Enterprise Graduate Programme at Royal Holloway is planned to run for a third year, commencing September 2004. For more information on the scheme visit www.graduate-programme.org.uk
ENDS
For further information contact
Royal Holloway, University of London, Press Office:
Christine Long, Press & PR Officer
01784 443967, email: christine.long@rhul.ac.uk
Vicky Cousins, Assistant
Press & Communications Officer
01784 414480, email: victoria.cousins@rhul.ac.uk
EDITOR'S NOTES
Research and Enterprise
Office, Royal Holloway
The Young Enterprise Graduate Programme is co-ordinated by the College's
Research and Enterprise Office, who work to encourage and promote research
and enterprise activities through collaboration with regional businesses.
The Office promotes College research expertise by assisting academics
to establish contract research and consultancy opportunities as well
as setting up training courses for external organisations.
For more information visit www.rhul.ac.uk/research-and-enterprise/
Young Enterprise UK
Founded in 1963, UK registered charity Young Enterprise runs a range
of business and enterprise education programmes for more than 150,000
young people each year, with the support of businesses and volunteers.
The Young Enterprise Graduate Programme, launched in 1998/9, is aimed
at students between the ages of 18 and 25. Via an elected board of directors,
students are encouraged to raise share capital, and market and finance
a product or service of their own choice. At the end of the programme
they present a report and accounts to their shareholders. The scheme
aims to give students key business skills, improve their employability
and their CV, and provide an insight into different career areas such
as small businesses and self-employment.
For general information on
the young enterprise scheme, visit www.young-enterprise.org.uk
