Member Article

Aston Academy’s Enterprise Club Receives Funding

Aston Academy has been able to re-open its Enterprise Club this year thanks to £3,500 of funding from business funder UK Steel Enterprise’s 40:40 challenge; marking their 40th anniversary.

The Academy’s ‘Enterprise Club’ is aimed at students from year seven to nine and provides an opportunity to get hands-on experience in the running of a business. Last year the Club was not able to go ahead due to lack of access to essential equipment but the UK Steel Enterprise funding has allowed the Academy to purchase a laser cutter, and it can now welcome groups of students to learn the benefits of business and enterprise each year.

The Enterprise Club, which was stablished nine years ago to give students the opportunity to learn different entrepreneurial skills and manufacturing techniques, allows students to create and sell products to their fellow pupils within school. It also allows students to test key business skills such as team management; product development; and manufacturing, planning, marketing, selling and finance management.

Typically students produce personalised rulers, keyrings and engraving work, all of which are sold through a lunchtime stationary shop. They are created using the technology department as a base, designed through IT software and produced by the new laser cutting machine.

UK Steel Enterprise launched the 40:40 challenge earlier this year to mark its 40th anniversary; a pot of £40,000 was made available to schools and other youth organisations to work with students aged 18 or under. Part of Tata Steel, UK Steel Enterprise provides business finance to growing companies and has invested over £88m in steel regions, helping over 6,000 businesses.

With UK Steel’s support the Enterprise Club can further educate and inspire students outside of the classroom through practical application, and provide opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills for the future. As well manufacturing products, and selling to fellow students, those in the club can also get involved in a ‘Dragons Den’ style competition later this month.

UK Steel Enterprise’s Matt Stewart is further supporting the Club by joining four successful entrepreneurs to judge Aston Academy’s ‘Dragons’ Den’ competition. The panel will judge the ideas presented by budding entrepreneurs and provide a few tip and tricks to get their business ideas off the ground.

Bryan Sadler, Head of Business and Enterprise at Aston Academy; and also runs the Enterprise Club said: “Without the grant from UK Steel enterprise we would not have been able to buy the laser cutter; and many students would have missed out on learning many different entrepreneurial skills, not only this year, but for many years to come.

“Who knows, maybe one could be the next James Dyson!”

Matt Stewart, Investment Executive at UK Steel Enterprise, said: “This is a great, creative, initiative to get students thinking about business management and being an entrepreneur.

“We’re delighted to support the club and we’re excited to see the funding for the equipment inspire students to create a business from scratch and learn everything from manufacturing to marketing their product or idea.”

UK Steel Enterprise recently announced that it is increasing the amount of finance available to growing companies in South Yorkshire and in North Lincolnshire. Loan and equity finance is available in amounts from £25,000 up to £1m for companies growing and creating jobs.

The company’s 40th anniversary 40:40 challenge is still open to admissions: http://www.uksteelenterprise.co.uk/media-hub/news/587-40-40-challenge-a-competition-for-tomorrow-s-entrepreneurs

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by UK Steel Enterprise .