Barely been on here for a YEAR! Sorry If I've not been able to respond to anything. Hope you are all...
Barely been on here for a YEAR! Sorry If I've not been able to respond to anything. Hope you are all doing very well x
Member since:24.05.2007
Reviews:51
Members who trust:25
The next Alan Suger junior? Tired of being told you are too young to get on in Business? Well not any more!!!
So what is 'Young Enterprise' all about? ---------------------------------------------------------
It is a charity that has been in place for over 40 years now and it is the UK's leading business and enterprise education charity - it is split into 12 regions over the UK and each region holds election to deliver its board.
So why the hell is this relevant to me? ----------------------------------------------------
Ok, so it is quite a few years since my college days but a real fond memory of them was taking part in the 'Young Enterprise' scheme in which students are in effect given opportunity to trade as a company, with the potential to show their entrepreneurial skills, develop new products and work as part of a team with many ultimate goals (namely to have a great time and prove their worth in the working/business world - but to some, profit!).
I will use my own experience to demonstrate how it worked.
Our college agreed to take part in the scheme and went about finding out who would be interested in taking part in the scheme, and, unfortunately only 8 people decided to take part. So there was only to be one company. Our representative tutor and an individual from a local business worked together to explain how the programme would work and what would be required of us, so, the only thing to sort out on that first meeting was who would take up which positions!
We selected a Managing Director, a head of Finance, a Sales Director, an Administrator and the remaining members were to be utility workers (flexible). At the next meeting we needed to decide on a product, and after much debate we made the interesting choice of bathroom/shower products such as bathbombs, scented soaps and various other products (We had a very persuasive female member of the team!!!).
Over the course of the academic year we found a willing producer of the goods we required, sold shares in the YE company with friends, family etc all chipping in so we could have a reasonable comfort zone, we then took opportunities to sell all over college, to friends and family and to teachers!
Then the crowning moment was when we spent about £400 on stock to sell at the craft fair in our local city centre. It gave us a great experience of what it is like to sell in a compeitive market place (there were about 40 other stalls there also) and we took about £600 and had plenty of stock to spare!
The learning how to sell part of it and negotiating with sellers was a fantastic experience and one I would urge any young budding entrepreneur or wannabe wealer dealer to go for!
It is a great scheme and one which isn't marketed enough. It is a shame the government doesn't put a little bit of cash towards it so the scheme can really take off so youngsters can have a free chance to learn about work and business and maybe even if it works for just a few people and keeps less youngsters off the streets then it would be considered a great success!
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It used to be very cheap to join but now they charge the school £500 per team entered, so it is now more competitive to join.
Good review of the scheme, though
OnTheChin 09.06.2008 08:30
Never had this at my school many years ago but sounds a worthwhile scheme.
avacarrdo 07.06.2008 21:44
They had this at my school too. And for some reason, practically every company tried selling roses on Valentine's day.
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