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Birkenhead students to
experience running a business in bid to inspire next generation of entrepreneurs
SCHOOL students in Birkenhead are to be
given the chance to start and run businesses as part of a scheme to highlight
vocational training and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The scheme, focusing on 6 schools in disadvantaged areas in Birkenhead, East
Ham, Bristol, Chatham, Arfon and Edinburgh is being launched by the Federation
of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Young Enterprise, the UK's leading enterprise
and financial education charity.
The students will receive a share of £9000 in funding provided by the FSB as
they embark on Young Enterprise's Company Programme, receiving mentoring to help
them better understand the world of business from seasoned FSB professionals
from their local communities.
John Allan, National Chairman of Federation of Small Businesses and Vice
Chairman of the FSB's Merseyside, West Cheshire and Wigan region, said:-
"We are thrilled to be working with Young Enterprise and the next generation of
entrepreneurs on this project.
This partnership is crucial because businesses are concerned that young people
are not prepared for the world of work. Engaging with employers, education
providers and young people is a proven way to remedy this.
Research has proven that if a pupil has four or more interactions with a
business while at school, they are five times more likely to find themselves in
education or training after school. If we want to develop the next
generation of small business owners which will help carry the UK economy
forward, then schemes like the company programme are important in showing that
vocational learning is a valid and beneficial path offering long term career
prospects."
FSB Wirral Chairman Clive Marshall, Of TaxAssist Accountants Wirral, said:-
"With the right skills and support business ownership can be an exciting and
rewarding career path and the importance of vocational learning to equipping
young people for the world of work should not be underestimated. The
process of selecting a Birkenhead school to take part in the project is underway
and I am looking forward to working with the students to help inspire and assist
the next generation of entrepreneurs. This is about giving these young people
the opportunity to be the master of their own destinies."
Frank Field, the MP for Birkenhead, welcomed the project. He said:- "This
is great news for Birkenhead. The project is a brilliant way of trying to teach
some important life skills to our young people."
The aim is to excite and educate the students and develop their passion and
ambition for entrepreneurship, the world of work and vocational education. This
will help them understand what it takes to become the next generation of
successful business people.
The Federation's commitment to the work of Young Enterprise will see FSB small
business owners volunteering their time and years of experience to help students
start and develop their own businesses or social enterprises. Each business will
last for the academic year and students will be responsible for everything from
design concept to selling, marketing strategies and financial planning.
Michael Mercieca, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise, said:- "We are
proud to be working in partnership with the FSB to ensure that more young people
leave education ready for the world of work. Business-based education provides a
sound environment for the learning of enterprise, financial and life skills at
an early age. With this in place, we will see fewer young people falling through
the cracks of the education system and more approaching the job market with the
skills employers are looking for."
Letters to editor
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Plan for 'New Chinatown'
in
Liverpool...
A NEW plan for a key gateway site in
Liverpool's Chinatown has been unveiled. The 'New Chinatown' scheme would
see around 800 residential units including apartments and town houses built on
the Great George Street site, along with 200,000 square feet of commercial
space.
It is being developed by North Point Global (China Town Developments Limited)
the development-arm of established local construction firm PHD1, which has
concluded a deal to buy an interest in the site which was held by Urban Splash.
The site, close to the Anglican Cathedral and runs up to the Black-E community
arts Centre, has lain derelict for many years. A listed building which houses a
bridal shop on the site will be retained.
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann O'Byrne, said:- "This is a key site in
Chinatown right on a main route into the City Centre and has fantastic
potential, particularly as it lies so close to the City Centre and the Baltic
Triangle.
PHD1 have come up with a really exciting project which will completely transform
this patch of land and will be the catalyst to breathe new life into the wider
area.
They have devised some extremely innovative ideas around developing links with
China and the universities to create a substantial numbers of new jobs and bring
a completely new commercial and retail offer to the area.
We are already working with Liverpool Mutual Homes on developing new homes on
Duncan Street which will further contribute to the renaissance of this part of
the City. I would like to thank Urban Splash for working closely with us
and PHD1 to see these development plans progress."
Consultation is getting underway with the local community, with a
2 day public
exhibition at Studio 2 Parr Street on Sunday, 12 July and Monday. 13 July
2015, from
11am to 8pm.
In addition, the development team will be holding a series of face to face
meetings with local community groups and businesses and distributing 10,000
copies of a bi-lingual consultation newsletter to homes and businesses in the
area.
Under the proposal, the site will be developed in 3 phases, with a planning
application for the 1st phase expected to be submitted during the summer.
Project Director for the scheme Antonio Garcia from BLOK Architecture
commented:- "We are delighted to have been selected to take this exciting
site forward. From the very outset we viewed this development as an historic
opportunity to be the catalyst for the regeneration of Chinatown.
We are offering a dynamic mixed-use scheme that will bring people and business
to the area and make it an international quality destination.
One of the most important elements of our vision, which we have developed with
our Chinese investors, is the creation of up to 200 new Chinese businesses with
the potential to create over 1,000 jobs. We view this as one of the most
important and potentially transformational development opportunities in
Liverpool."
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