National Careers week (NCW) is all about inspiring young people and helping them make effective future choices. As part of NCW, Liverpool City Careers Hub, in Partnership with LCR Be More and Liverpool ONE launched an Enterprise Challenge for students in schools/colleges from any year group across Liverpool City Region (LCR). This was an exciting opportunity for students to get involved and demonstrate their entrepreneurialism…
This initiative was to encourage students to be creative, using local market information to design a business or product that will benefit Liverpool City Region. The idea had to relate to one of the LCR growth sectors. If a product was chosen, this could have been an enhanced version of something that already exists, or a new product could have been designed. Students were given a booklet which gave them top tips on how to research and what they needed to think about to make their product/idea stand out. Students had to think about a business name, business idea, their target customer, marketing, financials, product design and a logo design.
We had some brilliant entries, but unfortunately there could only be one winner, however, we did have two runners up.
The winning entry was a 1950s Café, taking you back to the past, which was submitted by Jessica, a year 9 student from Lord Derby Academy. The focus of this idea was on the hospitality sector and the idea was chosen to show people what Liverpool was like back in the 1950s and take us back a little. The target customers and marketing of this business idea was thought out well, thinking of ways to encourage footfall and promote the café to people. There was a great logo design, as well as product design with ideas of merchandise. What a great way to experience the 1950s! Congratulations to Jessica who will receive a
£50 voucher to spend in Liverpool ONE. Jessica will also get the opportunity to speak to someone in the hospitality sector about her idea and receive top tips for the future!
The runner up ideas were ‘Little Liver-Bot: your city help’ submitted by Harrison, a year 7 student and a Community Garden Initiative, submitted from Zachary, both from St Margaret’s Church of England Academy.
The Little Liver Bot, a portable Pocket Robot idea is focused around the Visitor Economy Sector which will help tourists navigate their way around the city, speaking many languages. The Robot would be available for tourists to hire and created in an environmentally friendly way, using recycled plastic and metals. Competitors were acknowledged via market research for this idea and various channels of promotional ideas were identified.
The Community Garden initiative idea is all about promoting sustainable agriculture, improving fresh and healthy produce as well as bringing together the community.
“I‘ve been blown away by the ambitious and inventive businesses ideas that have been submitted as part of this year’s Enterprise competition. The students have demonstrated that they have what it takes to make it in business – their creativity is inspiring. The UK needs people who are enterprising and entrepreneurial whatever their chosen career path – young people who are prepared and ready for the world of work, including self-employment – equipped to make an effective transition from education to work and making a contribution to UK’s economy. From the earliest age, children have a natural ability to be enterprising and it is important for that ability to be nurtured throughout their education” Julie, Enterprise Coordinator at the LCR Careers Hub
“This was an exciting initiative for students across LCR to be involved in. It was great to see lots of creative ideas submitted to us. Making students think about entrepreneurship is so important for their future, it not only gets them thinking about different creative ideas, they are able to learn and develop their skills” Charlotte, Enterprise Coordinator at the LCR Careers Hub
Thank you to LCR Be more and Liverpool ONE for supporting this competition!
Liverpool City Region Careers Hub has lots of exciting opportunities for students in the region to get involved in. One program to support students with their futures is the Student Careers Champions programme. This programme has been launched by the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub within Secondary Schools and Further Education Colleges designed to improve pupil, staff and parents understanding of growth sectors and wider understanding of local labour market information (LMI). The Student Careers Champion Programme helps 11- to 19-year-olds develop their understanding of the local labour market, through relevant, engaging, and informal learning. A Careers Champion is a student ambassador who will represent one of Liverpool City Regions growth sectors and commit to work with the careers team and other champions to promote specific opportunities and information in their chosen sector. If you are a school or college and would like to launch this, please get in touch with your Enterprise Coordinator.
Charlotte Lawrence & Julie Jones, Enterprise Coordinators
