Young entrepreneurs enjoy Enterprise Bootcamp

Over 30 budding entrepreneurs from local schools attended a Gower College Swansea Enterprise Bootcamp last week.

Pupils from Pentrehafod and Gowerton Comprehensives joined college staff and students to participate in an action-packed week of activities that encouraged them to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

Working in teams, they were set a challenge by Kate Hannington, Centre Manager at the 360 Watersports Centre - to come up with ideas that would increase the participation of local young people at the venue throughout the year.

The teams, mentored by college students, got stuck in immediately and worked hard to develop innovative ideas that would impress the judges.

To encourage and motivate them even more, the college arranged for three workshops delivered by inspirational role models Jamie Denyer, Ben Roome and Ayesha Jeffries, who have all built successful businesses from ideas they were passionate about.

Fired up with inspiration, the teams headed to 360 on the final day to present their piches before a panel of judges including Sue Poole, Enterprise Manager at Gower College College, Richard Breeze, Education Relationship Manager at Lloyds Bank, and Kate.

The three teams delivered their pitches which included a ‘Water Fight of Doom' to be held on the
beach, a music festival and ‘sports with a pro’ sessions.

The judges were impressed with all three ideas but ultimately chose the ‘Water Fight of Doom’ as the idea that 360 could pilot.

Each student was awarded with a certificate and a goody bag. There were also trophies for individuals who had particularly impressed the judges and for the winning team overall.

Kate was so impressed by the students that she intends to work with them again on an event where they can put their ideas into practice and enjoy a realistic experience of running their own enterprise.

The week ended with a game of volleyball on the beach and the overwhelming feedback from the students was - “Can we do this again?”

"Each and every student participated with real enthusiasm and, by the end of the first day, some great new friendships had emerged," says Enterprise Development Officer Julie Bowen. "Watch out Lord Sugar - Swansea has some amazing young apprentices who will blow you away!"

The Enterprise Bootcamp was developed thanks to funding from WAG and the City & County of Swansea.