Thank you to all of you that have backed our idea in this competition so far and for your messages of support some of which are below:
“At last… Someone and something worth voting for! Vote for Working Knowledge Group and the great work they do in bringing the enterprise conversation into education to develop entrepreneurs of the future.”
“Good luck with this – really exciting development.”
“They are excellent days for business mentors and students a like. Lots of positive energy and enthusiasm translates to a real exchange of insights.”
Following another successful delivery to Redcar and Cleveland College students we’re pleased to be able to show you some of the highlights from the event.
The Smith & Williamson Grassroutes Challenge 2009 is taking place on the 24th November 2009 at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester and will be building on the success of last years inaugural competition. With more University teams invited to take part in the challenge the competition will be a true challenge of the business acumen of the undergraduates taking part.
As well, as the original nine Universities who took part in last years challenge who were; Scottish Agricultural College, Hartpury College, Nottingham University, Harper Adams University, Duchy College, Reading University, Royal Agricultural College, Aberystwyth University and Exeter University, three more top University teams will be invited to join the competition.
Abingdon & Whitney College tutors chose to ‘Take the Plunge’ in response to student representatives requests for group bonding and employer links. The Take the Plunge programme is able to address these needs in a fun and stimulating way whilst working toward a key skill.
A mix of AS level and National Diploma students together will be taking part in the Take the Plunge programme. On the final day they will be joined by 12 business experts from local businesses in a Dragon’s Den scenario.
The Make a Splash programme comes to Gateshead College on 9th June 2009. Eighty AS Level students from Gateshead College and a local school, together with 12 local employers, will take part.
Gateshead College are using this one day pilot programme to enthuse their students and expose them to the world of work.
The programme is being held at Gateshead College, Baltic Campus.
On 12th May 2009 150 students from Lakes College West Cumbria, together with 12 local employers, will take part in Make a Splash (think The Apprentice meets Dragon’s Den).
Lakes College are using this one day pilot programme to develop the enterprise and employability skills of their students and expose them to the world of work.
Said Cyril Wheat, Assistant Principal – External Relations, “Lakes College believes that links with employers are important and view this activity as an essential part of our students programme. The links between learning and work have never been so vital and Make a Splash is the ideal tool to raise student awareness of enterprise and employability.”
Portfolio evidence for Working With Others at Level 1 will be collected during the event; Ride the Wave programmes are fundable through the Wider Key Skills framework.
The programme is being held at the Seacote Hotel at St Bees, wonderfully situated on the West Cumbrian Coast, on the edge of the breathtaking Lake District National Park.
The students – mostly level 2 – are from Construction, Carpentry & Joinery, Brickwork, Painting and Decorating, Engineering and Business courses.
Swindon College became the first college in Wiltshire to hold a programme similar to the BBC 2 ‘Dragon’s Den’ scenario for students last week. Sixty students studying Level 2 qualifications at the college were given an opportunity to create, plan and propose their product ideas to a group of local business ‘experts’. The programme, called ‘Ride the Wave’ was organised by a Skills and Enterprise Training company ‘Working Knowledge’.
The Ride the Wave programme has already been delivered at 27 colleges nationally and aims to engage employers, boost students employability and deliver key skills qualifications.“The students who took part also forged new friendships with students on other courses, improved their self-confidence and aspirations and provided a better understanding of business and the skills required” said Pat Wilkins,director of Learning and Skills at Swindon College.
James Lott, Sales and Marketing Director of Working Knowledge said:
“We are committed to narrowing the gap between education and the workplace; raising the aspirations and employability skills of students and opening the eyes of employers to how young people can help drive business success in a rapidly changing economic environment.”
“The students who take part also gain a Level 1 Key Skills qualification in Working with Others.”
The nine local business experts who took part in the event as the ‘dragons’, gave ‘friendly’ advice on product design, pricing, promotion and sales to the students. Plumbing student, Aeron Douglas, aged 16 said:
“It was great to talk to the experts and get advice, our product sounds believable now, everybody is getting really competitive!”
At the end of the event, the eleven groups of students presented their product ideas and business plan to the experts. Two teams won £100 for their winning ideas, the first was an innovative alarm clock idea and the other team came up with a hologram concept.
The Plunge, a Working Knowledge course for FE colleges that is part of the Ride the Wave programme, has been selected as a finalist in the National Training Awards 2008. The nomination is focused on one of the first implementations of the Plunge at Redcar and Cleveland College on Teesside.
The National Training Awards are designed to celebrate organisations and individuals that demonstrate outstanding business and personal success through investment in training. By recognising best practice, the awards aim to raise awareness and inspire others to invest in learning and development as a route to becoming world class.
