Innovative School / College project scoops Enterprising Britain Award


Updated 11/07/2014

An innovative Swansea project which helps kick-start the careers of budding entrepreneurs from primary schools, secondary schools, Further and Higher Education has scooped a national prize.

The Primary to Professional project, led by Gower College Swansea in collaboration with Swansea Council, the Welsh Government, primary and secondary schools, higher education providers, Tech Hub and other business partners, seeks to build the enterprise skills of young people.

This project has now won a ‘Developing Enterprise Skills’ Enterprising Britain Award 2014 from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Primary to Professional is an education project that provides bespoke courses for all budding entrepreneurs, from primary school children through to 18-30 year olds, with the aim of developing entrepreneurial spirit and skills across Swansea.

“This is an innovative and inclusive project working from primary school children to business start ups,” says Sue Poole, Gower College Swansea’s Enterprise Education Manager.

“A training pathway has been developed with Swansea Council to build the enterprise skills of young people, beginning in primary and secondary school and leading to a specialist enterprise academy for start-up businesses, hence the project name of Primary to Professional or P2P. Gower College Swansea has been at the heart of these developments, but relies on partnership with a variety of stakeholders from education providers, local government and local business leaders.”

“It’s wonderful to see these youngsters being equipped with skills that will help them play a part in Swansea’s entrepreneurial and economic future,” says Mitch Theaker, Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Opportunities for Children & Young People. “No one organisation can do this alone and what’s great about Swansea is the way the Council, Gower College Swansea, schools and other education establishments have joined together with business partners to get young people the skills they need.”

“We continue to support schools across the city in developing their curriculums to help engage pupils and equip them with skills for life.”

The awards have been celebrated at Sketty Hall, where pupils from Craigfelen Primary School, Pentrehafod School and Cefn Hengoed Community School were joined by past and present students from the college’s Enterprise Academy.

Also in attendance were Edwina Hart AM and partners including City and County of Swansea, University of Wales Trinity St David’s, Swansea University, Tech Hub, The Prince’s Trust, Swansea Bid, Swansea Market and local entrepreneurs who have supported this project in a number of ways, including one to one mentoring, acting as role models or financially supporting students in helping them set up their businesses.

"The 2014 EBA competition produced a very strong field of entries with a high number from across the country being submitted,” says Neville Reyner, CBE DL Hon DLitt, Chairman Young Chamber. “This year's award winners should be very proud of their success. The EBA celebrate the enterprising endeavours of initiatives from across the UK and the support shown to these Awards by the Government emphasises the importance it places on developing enterprise throughout the UK.”

A further achievement for the Swansea project is that Primary to Professional has been chosen as one of only two UK entries (along with The Sharp Project) to go forward to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA) for 2014 which take place later in the year in Naples.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Enterprising Britain Awards are part of the Government’s drive to increase entrepreneurial activity in the UK. They are managed by Young Chamber Ltd (YCUK) on behalf of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS). This competition is also used to identify the UK entries to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards for 2014.

Contact: info@enterprisingbritainawards.co.uk

Sue Poole can be contacted at 01792 284000 or email sue.poole@gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk

The other three national winners were:
- Improving the business environment category, The Sharp Project, Manchester;
- For promoting entrepreneurial spirit category, The e-factor, Inspiring Enterprise, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire;
- Support for exporting category, South Devon Export Network.

Photos courtesy of Hoosh / South Wales Evening Post