Ayrshire College celebrates the second year of Enterprising students
Ayrshire College in partnership with Bridge to Business, hosted its second Enterprising Students event at the Kilmarnock Campus, celebrating the success of students who have started up their own business in the last year.
Employers and support organisations across Ayrshire including: Business Gateway and The Prince's Trust attended the event aimed at inspiring students to develop their enterprise skills and ideas.
Over 500 students attended throughout the afternoon workshops, where they learnt how the Enterprising Students campaign continues to offer mentoring support to students looking to start up a business, as well as highlighting the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £5000 from the Ayrshire College Foundation.
No less than nine guest speakers attended the event to host workshops on the day which were designed to cover all areas of enterprise and business planning. Speakers included Jack Allan, 95 Social and Lucy Thomson who is a former Ayrshire College student who started a fitness business called Coach Lucy. All attendees got the opportunity to meet partner organisations, inspirational role models and enterprising start-ups.
The students heard from a panel of former students who have started up their own business after receiving the Enterprise fund grant in the last year. The panel comprised of:
- Bryan Shaw - 18:15 Media
- Chris Saby - FunnyGrump Clothing
- Lorna Hamilton – Hushed Hair Salon
- Sharlene Atkinson – Handmade Sewing Boutique
- Aaron Yates – Artificial Pathogen
- Scott Haddow - 11:11 Events
As one of the first cohort of students to be awarded the £5000 grant for his start-up business 11:11 Events, Scott Haddow said “My mentor Lynn Kelly believed in me and helped me realise my potential. She helped me to understand the finance and marketing side of my business, and showed me how to write a business plan. I have also enjoyed going along to various enterprise events and workshops Bridge2Business has organised, these have been inspiring.
“If I hadn’t come to college, I wouldn’t be doing this now. It really has turned my life around, and got me to a better place.”
Lynn Kelly, Bridge 2 Business Programme Executive, said: “This event helped to raise awareness of the funding available to students and also provided students with the opportunity to network and make connections for the future.
“Students have the potential to be entrepreneurs of the future, so it’s important that we help give them the best start on their business journey as we possibly can. We’re very proud that we’re able to support the college in the funding scheme."
To find out more about the Enterprise Fund, email lynn.kelly@yes.org.uk.
11 November 2019
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