Young Enterprise Launches their 2023/24 Start Up Programme

Young Enterprise, the national financial and enterprise education charity, has launched its Start Up Programme for 2023/24, inviting Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) students to set up and run their own student company for up to 12 months.

The programme offers students aged 18 and above in full-time higher education the ultimate opportunity to develop essential employability skills and prepare for the world of work.

This year, 23 induction lectures have been delivered to students across different universities and colleges, including 10 by guest lecturers – Young Enterprise volunteers and alumni.

Over 40 experienced mentors are signed up to support the student companies through the programme, offering valuable guidance and expertise. They will also help raise awareness of the range of career opportunities available and skills required.

Suzanne Lockwood, Start Up programme manager at Young Enterprise said:

“The Start Up Programme is a bespoke curriculum enrichment programme that supports a wide range of courses from Sports Science to Psychology, Engineering to Business Management. It provides an invaluable applied learning experience outside of the curriculum, but also is very much embedded within many of the degree programmes in FEs and HEs we work with. This unique experience inspires students to apply their learning in a practical way through starting their own businesses.

Young Enterprise is keen to partner with more FE institutions and universities to co-create applied learning opportunities that enable young people to complete their courses with enhanced skills and confidence, so that they enter the world of work much better prepared. This year, Manchester Metropolitan University leads the way with the highest number of registered student companies, with a total of 52.

Loughborough College’s students were crowned UK 2022/2023 winners this summer with their business Tiaki, a sports protection business that aims to address the lack of protective equipment available for female athletes.

Following the success of Tiaki, Loughborough College has expanded its involvement in the programme, extending the opportunity to some of their FE students through the Young Enterprise Company Programme. The Young Enterprise Company Programme is similar to the Start Up programme, but aimed at 15- to 18-year-olds. It’s an initiative run in secondary schools and sixth form colleges that allows students to set up and run their own student company under the guidance of a volunteer.

Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise said:

“Taking part in the Start Up Programme gives students the opportunity to develop and apply enterprising mindsets and skills as they head into their careers. We really believe that creating meaningful opportunities within a practical real-world setting has the potential to enhance their futures and make a real contribution to the UK’s future productivity, benefitting them, their families, their communities and the economy overall.”

Young Enterprise currently works with 96 FE Colleges, representing 36% of all FE Colleges in England and Wales and has successfully engaged with 27 Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), accounting for 19% of all Higher Education Institutes in England and Wales.

For more information on Young Enterprise and the Start Up Programme please see here.