Posted: Friday 13 July 2012
Enterprise runs smoothly for College students
A fruitful endeavour has paid off for budding entrepreneurs from Kilmarnock College as they took part in an exciting ‘Apprentice' style project.
In a bid to promote healthy living, the College's Personal Empowerment Zone (PEZ) students have been working closely with Mark Hunter, Catering Service Leader at the College, to develop and market a delicious range of fruit smoothies to both staff and students on ‘Fruity Friday'.
Designed for young people between the ages of 15 and 25, the PEZ course aims to help learners develop skills to enable them to progress on to a vocational college course or employment. Learners participate in various projects and practical activities which are fun, challenging and rewarding, and at the same time they gain essential skill qualifications.
The project was originally set up to give PEZ students the facility to put their business enterprise ideas into action and the young entrepreneurs were involved in every aspect of the campaign from new product development to book-keeping and accounting.
Available every Friday from the smoothie cart at the College's main reception, students and staff are encouraged to ‘follow the rainbow rule' with a variety of fruit smoothies in corresponding colours.
With more than one million young people out of work in the UK, it is vital that educational establishments, like Kilmarnock College, are giving young people the confidence to develop their entrepreneurial skills.
Heather Dunk, Principal at Kilmarnock College, said: "We at Kilmarnock College will do all that we can to support entrepreneurship and helping young people to set up their own businesses. Small business creation will be a key driver in the country's economic recovery and it's hugely important that we give our young people the platform and the confidence to think about running their own business."
-Ends-
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Issued by Beattie Communications on behalf of Kilmarnock College
Sarah Ballantyne Tel: 01698 787859 Email: sarah.ballantyne@onlybeattie.com
Lisa McCafferty Tel: 01698 787849 Email: lisa.mccafferty@onlybeattie.com
Scotland's Colleges Annual Awards 2011 - Winner of Public Value Award.
