A 40-strong group of 14 to 16 year old students from Bristol’s Merchants Academy have had their business skills put under the spotlight at a workshop mentored by volunteers from law firm Osborne Clarke and accountants PwC.
The workshop, held at Osborne Clarke's (OC) Temple Quay office, was part of the SKILL! entrepreneurship programme, which runs interactive workshops designed to help students develop key skills to enhance their employability.
Volunteers from the two firms acted as team mentors supporting students during the workshop and aiding their learning with real world knowledge and insight.
Students learned how to harness their creative ideas and turn them into a commercial pitch, helping them to improve their communication, presentation and commercial skills. They then pitched their ideas to a panel which included OC's Bristol head David Powell; PwC's West region tax business unit leader Tracey Bentham, Paul Oldham, the regional director of the Business Growth Fund, and Ian Podmore, head of mid-market private equity house LDC’s Bristol Office.
The workshop was facilitated by young social entrepreneur Matt Kepple, who chairs the Commission for Youth Social Enterprise, and former BBC newsreader Katie Ledge, with other speakers including Bristol entrepreneur Ben Heald, CEO of online publisher Sift Media.
David Powell said: “It was a pleasure to welcome so many eager students to our office and great to be able to involve our employees in such a stimulating and interesting day. We've worked with SKILL! in London since 2008 and know the benefits that the workshops can bring to young people. Launching the programme in Bristol will give students in the city an edge in the increasing difficult job market.”
Tracey Bentham added: “The students impressed us all by demonstrating their creative visions in professional presentations.”
