About 200 London-based primary school pupils recently completed a business and enterprise course, Putting Young Minds to Work, run by consultancy Stride Ventures.
The course, sponsored by Enterprise-owned Bermondsey Pub Company, aims to answer the Government’s call to introduce employability and enterprise skills to children at an early age.
The children were tasked with the mission of conceptualising, pitching and running a mini business over seven weeks using a loan of up to £40 in real money.
The experience taught them the importance of business planning, careful money management, customer focus and promotions and the pupils gained vital employability skills such as teamwork, communication, resilience and self-confidence.
The pub managers shared their experience of running licensed premises, as well as getting involved in judging the pupils' business ideas.
Engagement
Paul Harbottle, managing director at Bermondsey Pub Company, said: “We were keen to throw our support behind the programme to show our commitment to community engagement in and around our pubs.
"Over the past six months, pupils have been rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into this real-life business experience, while pub managers have relished going back to school to share their skills and tell our future workforce what they love about a career in hospitality.”
Elena Macia from Stride Ventures added: "The entrepreneurial spirit and manner in which the children have thrown themselves into the world of business and enterprise is brilliant. It’s been exciting and rewarding for us to see their financial capability and employability skills develop. Watch this space for the next generation of UK entrepreneurs."