Birkdale School is just one of many schools from across the region to embrace enterprise through Enterprise UK challenges, competitions and clubs -thriving networks in schools that generate business ideas and turn them into reality.
As the school polishes their tenth accolade in just 18 months, they look back at how their enterprise journey started and why enterprise initiatives create invaluable experience for students.
Kathy McKay, Business Studies teacher at Birkdale School immediately bought into the ethos of a Make Your Mark Club, the national challenges offered through Enterprise UK and other enterprising campaigns launched by regional and national agencies. Miss McKay understood the value of providing students with the freedom to develop and pursue entrepreneurial ideas.
After launching their first Enterprise Club in 2008 Birkdale School has gone on to develop award winning business ideas and students who thrive in the opportunity that enterprise presents. Today the Enterprise Club, as a result of Enterprise UK national challenges, has fostered over ten sustainable social business ventures, all making profits and some even trading with each other.
The Enterprise Club continues to expand its horizons, in particular with the launch of its own Enterprise Hatchery that is currently nurturing four innovators who are trying to commercially develop their patented products.
Those who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills but do not have a product can enter into the club’s Entrepreneurial Development Program and assist outside small businesses to develop their sales revenue.
Two of the very first business ventures, created as a result of the first Make Your Mark Club, are successful enough to be able to provide financial assistance in the way of business loans to other start up ideas in the Enterprise Club, thus fostering further the school’s entrepreneurial spirit for students of all ages.
Kathy McKay comments: “As a Business Studies and Economics teacher getting enterprise on the agenda was my first priority, but our approach from the start has been about developing sustainable and viable business ideas, creating opportunities to allow our students to obtain real business experience and ultimately making a difference socially.”
Peter Winder and his fellow team of year 12 students currently manage the One Water Tuck Shop, a winning enterprise launched as part of the 2008 One Water Charity Competition, co-ordinated by Enterprise UK and One Water. The Tuck Shop is still running today, with all profits being donated to build a One Water Playpump in Malawi for Birkdale School.
This year that same team grew their business into a conglomerate called One Empire to compete in the National One Big Idea Competition. Five Malawi based product divisions have been developed and are in the process of connecting with external businesses to advance the products into the commercial market.Running a multi product business is time consuming and the One Empire team has begun the process of hiring and training pupils to take over the original tuck shop, the financial engine of the business.
