Budding Entrepreneurs from Newbury College have set up a jewellery company as part of the National 'Young Enterprise Programme' which teaches young people about business.
The team, made up of Art and Design students, attended the Young Enterprise Annual Trade Fair on Saturday 8 February 2014 in Newbury's Kennet Centre.
Young enterprise companies across West Berkshire showcased their businesses and sold their goods. The students' business, named 'Idylic', sold refurbished and upcycled jewellery and other individual handmade pieces for both men and women. The 'Young Enterprise Programme was founded in 1962 by merchant banker Sir Walter Salomon and allows students to take on business roles, and selecting and sourcing a products using innovation before selling to the public.
Course Leader of Art and Design and Young Enterprise Link, Jackie Heggs said, "Young Enterprise has given the students the opportunity to acquire business skills alongside their main programme. The Trade Fair supports students in developing customer service and selling skills and really helps to develop learner confidence. The students have had a brilliant experience and have been supported with practical advice by business advisors and volunteers from local businesses. They really enjoyed the challenge of selling their jewellery at the Trade Fair and competing against other Young Enterprise Companies for sales".
Other Young Enterprise companies from schools across West Berkshire were selling goods and services at the Trade Fair and competing to be the best 'Trade Stand'. This was judged by people from local businesses including the manager of the Kennet Centre.
Young Enterprise is the United Kingdom's largest business and enterprise education charity. Every year Young Enterprise helps 250,000 young people learn about business and the world of work in the classroom under the guidance of a network of 5,000 volunteers from 3,500 companies. The programmes range from the Primary Programme and Company Programme to the university-level start-up initiative with many variations in between. Young Enterprise offers programmes for a variety of age groups, from the age of four-25 and is one of the UK's leading figures in enterprise education delivering over four million learning hours each year. Since they were established, 3.8 million young people have taken part in Young Enterprise programmes in the UK. One million of these have run businesses for a year on the Company Programme.