Young Enterprise Business Masterclass in Bicester

Head Teachers and representatives of Bicester secondary schools recently met with Bicester Vision, Bicester Town Council and Young Enterprise at The Garth to celebrate a new community co-funded business and employability skills training initiative for Bicester teenagers; the first of its kind in Oxfordshire.

teachers

Photograph: Alison Rosier (Sixth Form Manager, The Bicester School), Richard Brown (Principal Designate, Bicester

Technology Studio), Mark Lambert (Business, Economics, Law and Sixth Form Enrichment Coordinator, The Cooper School),

Graeme Laws (Partnership Manager, Bicester Vision), Dean Woodham (Vice Principal Designate, Bicester Technology Studio), Tim Marston (Deputy Head Teacher, The Bicester School), Councillor Richard Mould (Bicester Town Council), David Castles (Principal, Heyford Park Free School), Councillor Sue Mackrell (Bicester Town Council).

 

In a new inspirational community initiative, Bicester Vision is co-funding all Bicester secondary schools to provide Young Enterprise business and employability skills training to our town’s teenagers. Bicester Vision is a public and private sector partnership that focusses its time and energy on developing a strategy of job creation for Bicester. Now in its 8th  year, Bicester Vision seeks to engage with schools and colleges on the skills agenda, to develop sustainable business growth for existing Bicester businesses and to promote inward investment from public, private and third sectors organisations.

 

The Young Enterprise business and employability skills training will provide Bicester students with an opportunity to understand, develop and apply employability competencies which are highly valuable to employers and further learning providers and which they will then be able to evidence in their job, apprenticeship, college and university applications.

 

Learning by doing and engaging local volunteer employees in the classroom are at the heart of Young Enterprise’s teaching and learning and it has access nationally to over 6,000 volunteers from a range of industry sectors who support its programmes. Through these programmes, students gain a first-hand insight into the careers of local employees and learn about the skills which are valued in the workplace.

 

Students from Bicester Technology Studio, Heyford Park Free School, The Bicester School and The

Cooper School will all be taking part in Young Enterprise training programmes over the course of the next year. This will include student teams from each of the schools taking part in the ultimate business challenge of setting up and running their own business in the flagship Young Enterprise Company Programme. This may also involve competing against other schools in the Young Enterprise Company of The Year Competition Area Finals, County Finals, Regional Finals, National Finals and European Finals.

 https://www.youngenterprise.org.uk/whatwedo/secondaryprogrammes/companyprogramme/ .

 

 

Graeme Laws, Partnership Manager at Bicester Vision: ‘We are very excited by this initiative as our members are keen to have engagement with the schools in Bicester. We believe that today’s students are tomorrow’s Bicester business leaders and would want to encourage, support and develop the next generation of local entrepreneurs’.

 

Alison Pexton, Young Enterprise Manager for Oxfordshire said ‘Young Enterprise is delighted to be working with Bicester schools to deliver business and employability training programmes to Bicester students and truly appreciates Bicester Vision’s support in making this achievable – Young Enterprise couldn’t exist without the vital support from our local business sponsors and local business volunteers’.

 

Would you like to become a volunteer Business Adviser, supporting schools on the Young Enterprise Company Programme?

Young Enterprise is currently recruiting volunteer Business Advisers for new schools joining its popular Company Programme and is inviting business people to join this exciting initiative with Oxfordshire schools. Meeting weekly with students, mentoring is a fantastic way to develop your own skills and to strengthen your knowledge through teaching others. Young Enterprise offers you a unique opportunity to pass on your business skills to Oxfordshire students and to support them as they start their own Young Enterprise Company and learn about key business and employability skills. You will receive full training and support throughout your time with us and you’ll also have the opportunity to meet other similarly committed local business people. Active involvement with Young Enterprise as a Programme volunteer or Board Volunteer can contribute as structured and unstructured hours towards CPD/CPE qualification http://www.youngenterprise.org.uk/supportus/volunteer/.

 

Bicester Businesses – Could You Support a Bicester School’s Young Enterprise Company Programme Team?  – if so please contact Alison Pexton, Young Enterprise Manager Oxfordshire alison.pexton@y-e.org.uk

In the Summer we brought together heads from all the secondary schools in Bicester with members of Bicester Town Council to discuss business initiatives and opportunities to collaborate.

 

Following on from this we have donated over £4000 to the schools to enable them to participate in business Master Classes run by Young Enterprise. This will help young people build on eight key skills for development and success: communication, confidence, financial capability, initiative, organisation, problem-solving, teamwork and resilience.

http://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/

 

 

 

Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow.

“Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow. We’ve got a great location, excellent business networks and access to high quality investment opportunities.”
2016-09-24T12:44:28+01:00
“Bicester is becoming a hot bed for new and existing businesses that want to grow. We’ve got a great location, excellent business networks and access to high quality investment opportunities.”

Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military

"Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military to both understand and contribute towards the development and Bicester Town"
2016-12-06T14:46:03+00:00
"Membership of Bicester Vision has provided the best possible conduit for the military to both understand and contribute towards the development and Bicester Town"

Being a member enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses

“Chiltern Railways provides fast, frequent train services from Bicester North station and the newly opened Bicester Village station to London, Birmingham, Oxford and key locations in between.  Being a member of Bicester Vision enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses and helps us to shape our future growth strategy.”

Stephen Barker, Chiltern Railways
2016-12-07T09:04:34+00:00
“Chiltern Railways provides fast, frequent train services from Bicester North station and the newly opened Bicester Village station to London, Birmingham, Oxford and key locations in between.  Being a member of Bicester Vision enables us to build a close understanding of the needs of local businesses and helps us to shape our future growth strategy.”Stephen Barker, Chiltern Railways

We have a profound interest in the progress of the Town

“The Bicester Chamber of Commerce and Bicester Vision have a profound interest in the progress of the Town and understand that in some circumstances the continual increase in the numbers of houses and businesses will cause disquiet, to individuals and existing business alike. Change is always with us, and both the “Chamber” and “Vision” endeavour to keep the standards from the past while facing, and working, with the challenges of the future.”

Peter Cox, Chairman of Bicester Chamber
2016-12-07T09:07:17+00:00
“The Bicester Chamber of Commerce and Bicester Vision have a profound interest in the progress of the Town and understand that in some circumstances the continual increase in the numbers of houses and businesses will cause disquiet, to individuals and existing business alike. Change is always with us, and both the “Chamber” and “Vision” endeavour to keep the standards from the past while facing, and working, with the challenges of the future.”Peter Cox, Chairman of Bicester Chamber

The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation

"The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation and this supports a key commitment within our Local Plan to deliver employment in line with housing. As a designated Garden Town, Bicester is expanding at the pace so it is essential to attract the inward investment and businesses who will be vital to this success. Through our membership with Bicester Vision, we can work with partners and existing businesses to access to additional channels, resources and innovative ideas to help us to achieve our goal as a district of opportunity and employment."

Karen Curtin, Commercial Director (Bicester) , Cherwell District Council
2016-12-07T09:10:34+00:00
"The primary objective for Bicester Vision is to provide opportunities for job creation and this supports a key commitment within our Local Plan to deliver employment in line with housing. As a designated Garden Town, Bicester is expanding at the pace so it is essential to attract the inward investment and businesses who will be vital to this success. Through our membership with Bicester Vision, we can work with partners and existing businesses to access to additional channels, resources and innovative ideas to help us to achieve our goal as a district of opportunity and employment."Karen Curtin, Commercial Director (Bicester) , Cherwell District Council

The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester

"The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester.  Essential to that is the close working across all tiers of government and the private sector to enable all Bicester businesses to prosper and create job opportunities for the community.  The Council has been a founding member and has seen the work of the partnership play an active role in shaping a flourishing Bicester."

Lisa Michelson, Locality Manager , Oxfordshire County Council
2016-12-07T09:30:32+00:00
"The County Council is a key partner in delivering infrastructure for housing and employment growth in Bicester.  Essential to that is the close working across all tiers of government and the private sector to enable all Bicester businesses to prosper and create job opportunities for the community.  The Council has been a founding member and has seen the work of the partnership play an active role in shaping a flourishing Bicester."Lisa Michelson, Locality Manager , Oxfordshire County Council

Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception

"Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception and are pleased to be able to work alongside the  business community and all tiers of local government to make Bicester the ‘go to’ place for business opportunity."

Sue Mackrell, Bicester Town Council
2016-12-07T09:44:43+00:00
"Bicester Town Council has been part of Bicester Vision since its inception and are pleased to be able to work alongside the  business community and all tiers of local government to make Bicester the ‘go to’ place for business opportunity."Sue Mackrell, Bicester Town Council

Through our work with Bicester Vision we are able identify the development needs of the town

“Ziran Land and its predecessor Stockdale Land has found that working closely with the business community of Bicester has enabled us to successfully develop Pioneer Square Shopping Centre and now to develop Franklin House, which was completed in 2016.  The growth of Bicester enables us, through our work with Bicester Vision, to identify the business, retail and leisure development needs of the town and to work closely with the business community to provide these.”

John Liggins, Managing Director, Ziran Land Limited
2016-12-07T09:47:00+00:00
“Ziran Land and its predecessor Stockdale Land has found that working closely with the business community of Bicester has enabled us to successfully develop Pioneer Square Shopping Centre and now to develop Franklin House...”

Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate

"Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate. We have recently worked with Lisa Rawlings at Banbury and Bicester College as being an industry partner for Bicester Technology studio school and supporting them on the curriculum, equipment specification, and funding. As well as facilitating other 3rd Party Logistics firms like DHL to be involved, Solar panel contact via the Low Carbon Hub to support on the building design for sustainable construction."

Steve Thornton, Director UK Logistics & Supply Chain, BRITA UK
2016-12-07T09:49:31+00:00
"Bicester Vision is an effective way for interested parties to collaborate. We have recently worked with Lisa Rawlings at Banbury and Bicester College as being an industry partner for Bicester Technology studio school and supporting them on the curriculum, equipment specification, and funding. As well as facilitating other 3rd Party Logistics firms like DHL to be involved, Solar panel contact via the Low Carbon Hub to support on the building design for sustainable construction."Steve Thornton, Director UK Logistics & Supply Chain, BRITA UK