Students to 'Pitch for Their Place' at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy

City College Plymouth is holding a ‘Pitch for a Place’ day for its new Peter Jones Enterprise Academy on Friday 6 July.

The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy is an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to realise and achieve their business dreams. It was founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragons’ Den, Peter Jones CBE, with a view to encouraging more entrepreneurial activity within the UK, based on a philosophy of ‘learning by doing’.  The Academy was the first to offer further education courses in enterprise and entrepreneurship in the UK where students are actually required to set up and run their own business.

The College will offer a one year, level 3 BTEC in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship from September. With honing entrepreneurial skills at its heart - and with the view of bringing the boardroom to the classroom, the course will include master classes, work experience, entrepreneurial learning, business challenges, workshops and company visits. Students will be expected to attend College ‘suited and booted’ - in full business attire and be at College five days a week, from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

As well as learning how to be an entrepreneur of the future, students will be able to glean information and valuable skills from industry experts through master classes and workshops with employers through the College’s employability centre, theworkspace.

Current College business student, Charlie Easton, who is studying a level 2 Diploma in Business is hoping to progress to the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy. He recently undertook a four-week work experience placement in local manufacturing company, Frontline Image Limited. Frontline have been a local manufacturer for over 15 years and are now based in a purpose-built factory, where they design and decorate garments with printed and embroidered logos. 

Frontline have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the College for over five years. Charlie joined Frontline during May and spent most of his time within the busy print team, also benefitting from exposure to other parts of the manufacturing, design and sales operations. Charlie thinks that he has really benefitted from gaining practical experience at Frontline.  He also said: “I will be attending the ‘pitch for your place’ day, and I really feel my recent work placement will help me with this process.”

Charlie’s work placement was organised by Frontline’s Operations manager, Bob Serjeant, who said: “When I first met Charlie, I was struck by his enthusiasm and willingness to work hard to get ahead. I hope we have been able to help him to take another step on his career path and we wish him well with his ‘pitch for a place’ on Friday 6 July.”

Head of Business and Leisure Industries at the College, Martin Nash, said: “The ‘Pitch for a Place’ event is designed to give prospective students a real flavour for what life on the course will be like. They will be working with other students to complete a series of tasks set on the day, putting their individual entrepreneurial talents and team-working abilities to the test. Then, they will get the opportunity to ‘pitch’ for a place on the course.”

If you would like to find out more about the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy please call the College on 01752 305300.