Minister for Small Business and Enterprise, Kevin Hollinrake MP, has today joined former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening and a team from Young Enterprise, including Chief Executive Sharon Davies, alongside leading Purpose Coalition businesses to explore the importance of applied learning, and equipping young people with the skills they need to get on in life.
The roundtable was an opportunity for the Minister to learn more about the work of private sector organisations and the benefits of Young Enterprise for teachers and young people across the UK.
The joint roundtable, held in association between the Purpose Coalition and Young Enterprise, also explored ways in which organisations can support and improve enterprise education in schools and colleges to unlock the skills potential of young people. The event brought together senior leaders from Purpose Coalition organisations, including Virgin Money, Sodexo, and Adecco.
Applied learning is now particularly important in a post-pandemic landscape, and allows students to apply their knowledge and skills from the traditional classroom setting to real world projects. Earlier this year, Young Enterprise published their new report ‘What Applied Learning Really Looks Like’, highlighting case studies to show teachers and policymakers how applied learning can be integrated into school timetables and across the curriculum.
Mina Karshala, now on the Young Enterprise Board joined the roundtable, and is a 2013 Young Enterprise alumna who took part in the Start Up Programme whilst studying for her Leadership and Management degree.
Through hands-on employability, enterprise and financial education programmes, Young Enterprise works directly with teachers, parents and businesses to help reduce youth unemployment, and help young people realise their potential beyond education, empowering a generation to learn, work and live.
Chief Executive of Young Enterprise, Sharon Davies said: “Since 1962, over 7.2 million young people have accessed Young Enterprise Financial and Enterprise Programmes and Services. As we enter our 7th decade of supporting young people, access to opportunity has never been more important in helping them to build their futures. Especially, in the current economic climate where real-world learning opportunities are key to developing young peoples’ confidence, attitudes, and employability skills.
Our report released earlier this year on ‘What Applied Learning Really Looks Like’ showed that 96% of teachers believe that being able to apply learning in real-world contexts is important.
Through this roundtable in partnership with Purpose Coalition, we urge policymakers, educators, communities, and the government to recognise the fantastic work already taking place in schools and work together on a renewed push to increase opportunities for young people to apply their learning in real world settings across the country.”
Chair of the Purpose Coalition, Rt Hon Justine Greening, said: “Entrepreneurship not only generates business and jobs for communities, it encourages aspiration in individuals. It can help boost levelling up and improve skills training. Since 1962, Young Enterprise has empowered generations to learn, work and live, and it’s been brilliant to host today’s event alongside Chief Executive Sharon Davies, and to welcome the Minister for a practical, real-world discussion.
“Young people today grow up in a highly connected environment with access to new technology, new markets and new ways of communicating, but all too often feel they lack the skills, experiences and networks to take advantage of them. When government, business and organisations like Young Enterprise work together, we can improve applied learning, boost skills, and deliver a shift in mindset where entrepreneurship becomes the norm.”
Mina Karshala, YE Alumna and YE Trustee, said: “In a classroom setting, whilst we had great teachers, what we as pupils naturally did, was follow instructions. Such as instructions to complete homework or instructions to learn a specific chapter. But when I took part in Young Enterprise, I realised that when you run a business there isn’t really anyone giving you such specific instructions… so if you aren’t proactive, or don’t think outside of the box, your business will stay stagnant. You will stay stagnant. Learning this at a young age is key to potential success in later life.
Young Enterprise allowed me to gain the confidence to take risks and gain those self-led learning skills, it allowed me to also apply what I learnt at school, to real life. Being honest, I still got things wrong, and often still do. But the confidence to just give things a go and take everything in your stride as learning opportunity, has made the biggest difference.
If every young person across the UK had the same opportunity to access applied learning, the possibility of what the next generation could achieve is incredible.”
Young Enterprise’s Welsh Company and Team Programme of the Year Awards took place on Thursday 25 May in partnership with the University of South Wales (USW).
Since Young Enterprise’s Company Programme began 60 years ago, 7.2 million people have participated the programmes and 1.1m companies have been created.
Eight teams of young people, aged 15 and above, who took part in Young Enterprise’s Company and Team Programmes came together to compete against each other for a special place at the UK National Company of the Year Final to be held on 6 June 2023.
There were teams of young people from across Wales representing mainstream secondary schools and special educational need schools.
Judges from HR Department, Princes Trust, Transcend Packaging, NatWest, Principality Building Society and USW crowned Dan Draed, from Ysgol Bro Teifi in Llandysul, as the overall winners and they will now go on to represent Wales at the UK National Final.
The winners in all the categories were:
Sera Evans, USW’s Associate Director of UK Student Recruitment, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Young Enterprise to host the Welsh Company and Team Programme Final, especially as this year’s event aligns with the charity’s 60th anniversary. Congratulations to all the winners, and good luck to Dan Draed in the UK Final.”
Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, said: “Taking part in our Company and Team Programmes helps to prepare young people for the world of work. It was wonderful to see so many young people from across Wales, who have developed such strong enterprising mindsets and set up such fantastic businesses.
“At Young Enterprise, we are passionate about creating meaningful opportunities, which support young people to build confidence and critical skills that have real potential to enhance their futures.
“We believe that giving young people opportunities to develop and apply new learning within a practical, real-world setting has the potential to make a real contribution to the future productivity of Wales. Benefitting them, their families, their communities and the economy overall.”
Charity celebrates historic achievement at an event to celebrate long-term partnership with HSBC UK
Young Enterprise has provided 7.2 million young people with practical financial and enterprise education opportunities since being founded in 1962.
The leading financial and enterprise charity announced the landmark statistic at an event in Birmingham yesterday to celebrate its partnership with HSBC UK, one if its longest-standing supporters.
This comes after achieving a target to help one million young people since 2020 – in time for its 60th anniversary year.
The event, hosted by Ian Stuart, CEO, HSBC UK Bank, which has partnered with Young Enterprise for over 40 years, brought together business leaders, teachers, students, and policymakers at HSBC UK’s headquarters in Centenary Square, Birmingham.
Andy Street, the Mayor of West Midlands, delivered a speech in which he discussed the importance of providing young people with opportunities to become more financially capable and better prepared for the future.
Young Enterprise and HSBC UK have developed the award-winning Money Heroes Programme which has enabled over 550,000 children to date to learn about financial education.
Since it was founded in 1962 Young Enterprise has provided 7.2 million young people with financial and enterprise opportunities, including 1.1 million young people who have started Young Enterprise businesses.
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands, said: “It’s genuinely inspiring when we reflect on how Young Enterprise has helped millions of young people to realise their potential over the last 60 years. Financial and commercial literacy can play a tremendous role in personal and professional development, and it is fantastic to see a programme that equips young people with those skills.
“I also want to pay tribute to the partnership between Young Enterprise and HSBC UK, has helped to secure a brighter, more stable future for so many young people here in our region – and indeed right across the UK over the last six decades. Long may it continue.”
Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, said: “Young Enterprise is thrilled to have achieved the ambitious target we set for ourselves in 2020 to support over one million young people in time for our 60th anniversary this year. Access to opportunity has never been more important in helping young people build their futures, and our significant progress to date has been made possible to a large degree through our partnership with HSBC UK.
“With 7.2 million young people reached since we were founded in 1962, we aim to continue breaking down barriers to social mobility, and we have exciting plans in development for the rest of this decade. We want to ensure our partnerships are contributing to a larger ecosystem of partners committed to investing in the UK’s future workforce.”
Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK Bank, said: “We are proud to have supported Young Enterprise build the future skills of young people across the UK for the last 4 decades. Evidence tells us that children’s attitudes about money are well developed by the age of seven, so starting early really matters. Our partnership with Young Enterprise to create the Money Heroes programme has led the way in teaching children about money in a fun and engaging way – with an important focus on children from higher areas of deprivation, special educational needs or accessibility requirements.”