Graduates are in business

29 March 2011

The council is launching a new sponsorship scheme to support the University’s Enterprise Fellowship Programme, which helps graduates develop their ideas and supports new business start-ups through tailored advice, support and training.

The £37,000 sponsorship package will mean 50 graduates can be offered places on the programme, as part of the council’s plans to boost enterprise in the city, support small businesses, foster innovation and encourage graduates to stay in the city.

Liverpool John Moores University’s successful Enterprise Fellowship Programme, has been running since 2004. The twelve month business start-up programme, delivered by the University’s Student Enterprise team, supports recent graduates, who are based on Merseyside, to set up and develop their own businesses.

The programme aims to unlock the potential and support the visions of the brightest young entrepreneurs through intensive training, one-to-one business advice meetings, workshops and networking events. Graduates can apply for an award of £1,500 once their business is up-and-running, to support its growth. Thirty graduate places will be funded by the council in summer 2011, with a further 20 in the new year. It is hoped the council’s investment in the programme will help create at least 15 additional businesses in Liverpool, with a focus on the burgeoning creative, digital and knowledge-based industries. The success of the programme will be measured by the number of businesses that progress to commercial incubation space within the City region.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills, Councillor Nick Small, has been instrumental in pulling together the sponsorship package. He said: “It’s absolutely vital to the city’s economic growth that we do all we can to develop, retain and embed our young business talent. Investment in entrepreneurship and increased support for business start-ups is vital, in the current economic climate, if we are serious about driving the economic development of the city.

“The fantastic Enterprise Fellowship Programme provides an invaluable start to our enterprising graduates, and we want to support that. This sponsorship is about helping many more talented graduates take their first steps into the marketplace and giving them the power to make their dreams, ideas and visions a reality.

“I’m delighted we are forging this partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. It’s a great example of how we can work together to make Liverpool a world class business-friendly city which champions new ideas, innovation and enterprise.”

Emma Hunter, Head of Student Enterprise at Liverpool John Moores University said:

“This is great news for Liverpool’s enterprising graduates. Being able to offer 50 places on our scheme means that even more graduate businesses in the City can benefit from the professional programme we have developed. It’s important to us that we can help local graduates to realise their business potential, take the initiate and create their own opportunities: mirroring the LJMU ethos of  Dream, Plan, Achieve.

“We’ll be working with Liverpool City Council and Vision to make the most of their networks and we hope that this programme will create role models for younger people who aspire to a career in business.

“This is an exciting new phase for us, and we intend to build on this partnership and help make Liverpool the best place for gradates to start their business.”

The application process to join this exciting programme opens next week: for more information please call 0151 231 8060.

As part of the sponsorship deal, the city council’s regeneration body, Liverpool Vision will have a representative on the Enterprise Fellowship selection panel, giving the city council a say on which of the city’s talented graduates will earn a place on the programme.