Goldman Sachs Gives and Sir Richard Harpin back North East pilot to build blueprint for enterprise education

• Young people from 10 North East schools take part in new enterprise initiative, learning directly from leading business figures and entrepreneurs.
• New education pilot aims to tackle barriers to entrepreneurship in the North East and give young people better access to practical enterprise education.

Goldman Sachs Gives and entrepreneur Sir Richard Harpin are partnering with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) on a new pilot initiative designed to widen access to enterprise education in the North East and help more young people develop the skills, confidence and ambition to turn ideas into opportunities.

As the Government prepares to respond to the Milburn Review on young people and work, the North East Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Pilot will connect young people from 10 schools with local entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups. Students will use those connections to tackle real-world business challenges, to gain confidence to turn ideas into opportunities and explore entrepreneurial pathways.  

Delivered in partnership with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Careers Hub, the pilot aims to connect enterprise education with local economic priorities, while developing a blueprint that can be rolled out nationwide.

On 4 November, Sir Richard Harpin, who founded and built HomeServe into a £4 billion business, and Anthony Gutman, Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International, will share insights from their careers, including the lessons learned from managing risks, navigating setbacks and turning ambitious ideas into successful enterprises.

CEC’s annual survey of 330,000 young people found that just 5% of students in the North East report awareness of careers requiring entrepreneurial skill, while 17% do not know what job they want to do. Despite recent start-up growth in the region, the North-East has fewer total businesses per person than the rest of the country.

Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business Innovation, Science and Trade, said:

“Work experience is vital if we’re going to help young people develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

“This partnership is a great example of businesses and educators working together to give everyone a fair chance to get on, regardless of their background or where they live.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said

“There is no shortage of talent, ambition, or entrepreneurial spirit among young people in our region – what we need is the opportunity to match it. That’s why I’m proud to support the North East Enterprise Pilot because there is no shortage of talent, ambition, or entrepreneurial spirit among young people in our region – what we need is the opportunity to match it. 

“Giving young people the skills, confidence and experience they need is vital to making sure they go on to a brilliant career. This pilot is exactly the kind of innovative approach we should be championing, giving young people the best opportunities to succeed.”

Sir Richard Harpin, founder of HomeServe and The Enterprise Trust, said:

“I started my first business selling rabbits when I was six years old. I learned about enterprise by having a go, making mistakes and trying again.

“Yet just 35% of young adults who attended secondary school in England received guidance and support on starting a business.  That needs to change. Every young person should have the chance to develop the confidence, creativity and skills to turn ideas into opportunities.

“By giving young people that experience early, we can help build the next generation of entrepreneurs, businesses and jobs. The North East has a proud history of innovation and enterprise, and there’s no reason why what we’re starting here can’t ultimately work across Britain.”

Anthony Gutman, Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International, said: 

“This initiative is about giving young people direct access to business leaders, real-world challenges and the confidence to think differently about their futures.

“We’ve seen firsthand through our 10,000 Small Businesses programme, the power of entrepreneurial skills to unlock growth and opportunity. 

“At Goldman Sachs, we are committed to leveraging the firm’s expertise to help address systemic barriers to the world of work. By integrating enterprise education into the curriculum, we are not just preparing young people for jobs, we are empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs.”

John Yarham, Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said:

“The North East is showing what is possible when careers education, enterprise and local economic priorities come together. Through our network of Careers Hubs, we have an opportunity to take what works here and build a model that schools across the country can adopt.

“Our ambition is simple: enterprise education should not be a privilege available to a few, but an opportunity for every young person.”