College Holds Events to Inspire Entrepreneurs

Business and Economy, Education
Aylesbury College Student President Alister Johnson, meets Guy Lachlan, Director at Jones and Cocks and committee member of the South Bucks and Aylesbury branch of the FSB. Aylesbury College students with panelist Lorraine Winslade, Founder of Love Your Skin, and Guy Lachlan, Director at Jones and Cocks and committee member of the South Bucks and Aylesbury branch of the FSB.

Aylesbury College students have been taking part in a series of activities as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest campaign to help young people explore their potential as self-starters and innovators.

The College played host to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) ‘Question Time’ event on Business and Education, when students and staff were invited to put their questions to a panel of local experts including:

  • CHAIR: David Knowles Leak, Regional Chairman, Thames Valley branch, Federation of Small Businesses
  • Alex Pratt, OBE – Chairman of Bucks Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership
  • Lorraine Winslade – Founder of Love Your Skin
  • James Cameron – CEO of Mission Motorsport
  • Karen Mitchell – Principal and CEO of Aylesbury College
  • Alister Johnson – Student President at Aylesbury College

Guy Lachlan, Director at Jones and Cocks, and committee member of the South Bucks and Aylesbury branch of the FSB commented: “What an inspiring and energising event! There were over 20 employers here discussing a wide range of issues with the students – such as work readiness and the skills that businesses are looking for. I applaud the work that Aylesbury College is doing to engage with employers and it is fantastic to see education and business working together.”

Important questions such as ‘what advice would you give your 16 year old child?’, ‘name three things you look for in young people you want to employ?’ and ‘how can we encourage young people to stay in Buckinghamshire after their education?’ were put forward to the panel.

Fiona Morey, Vice Principal at Aylesbury College, added:

“It was wonderful to see students and employers chatting together before and after the question time event. Connecting students with employers and meeting the skills needs for Buckinghamshire is a key part of Aylesbury College’s work. The students asked some very searching questions and this was a really valuable evening for them.”

Activities continued throughout the week including a visit from former Aylesbury College student Carly Ward, founder of The Entrepreneurial Education Group (TEEG), who launched TEEG Tasks. They give students the opportunity to work on live employer briefs from:

  • TOWIE star Amy Childs – to design/invent a new beauty industry product
  • Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers – creating a new plumbing app
  • Nigel Botterill, business mentor and entrepreneur – coming up with a new business concept

Students have also been creating a wide range of products for the Aylesbury College Christmas Market being held at the College on 10 and 11 December, such as lamps, candleholders and heat mats for hair straighteners. Fashion students have been busy creating scarves, handbags and shirts for sale.