Enterprise Education in the GEES Disciplines

1
Enterprise Education in the GEES Disciplines

• Brian Chalkley and Katrina Gibson
• University of Plymouth
• GEES Conference Employability, Employer
  Engagement and Enterprise in the
• GEES disciplines
• Edinburgh
• 2nd and 3rd July 2008

2
SESSION AIMS

• To share ideas about teaching enterprise
• To outline the approach used in
  Geography at Plymouth
• To examine how Plymouth geographers came to win
  the national student enterprise competition
  twice (20072008)

3
THE ENTERPRISE CONCEPT

• Being enterprising means being creative,
  innovative and taking opportunities and risks
• Enterprise is needed in both small and large
  organisations (intrapreneurship)
• It is increasingly featuring in Geography
  curricula eg Kingston, Ulster, Leeds

4
ENTERPRISE AT PLYMOUTH

• Forms part of the compulsory Stage Two module in
  Geography and Employability (GGX2108)
• Enterprise component is assessed
• Module adopts a broad interpretation of
  enterprise
• 150 students

5
THE ENTERPRISE BRIEF

• Working in teams, students are asked to design an
  initiative/project/business of their choice
• Their idea can be commercial, community or eco-
  based
• They research their idea and prepare a business
  plan for assessment

6
SOME EXAMPLES

• Bike racks for buses
• Achieving sustainable schools
• Geo-twist childrens game
• University Clubs car share
• Activity camp for disadvantaged children
• University cooking survival tips!
• Survival flares for surfers
• House party planners

7
THE ENTERPRISE TEACHING

• Lectures on enterprise, entrepreneurship and team
  working
• Guest lecturers from local enterprises
• Supportive reading and websites
• The Dragons Den pitch

8
THE ENTERPRISE ASSESSMENT

• 1000 word business plan (plus 250 word review
  of the team-working process)
• Plan outlines the idea, identifies the
  need/market, explains how the idea will be
  implemented and taken forward

9
GGX2108 THE STUDENT VIEW

• SOME POSITIVES
• Working with different students
• First taste of business
• Practice at presentations (the Den)
• Relevance to the world of work
• Variety of guest lecturers
• Its different and challenging

10
GGX2108 THE STUDENT VIEW

• SOME CONCERNS
• Group work assessment
• Reluctance to perform in public
• Early morning lectures (!)
• No relevance to some future careers? I want to
  be a teacher

11
WINNERS OF THE 2007 NATIONAL STUDENT ENTERPRISE
COMPETITION (Plymouth Geographers)
12
WINNERS OF THE 2008 NATIONAL STUDENT ENTERPRISE
COMPETITION (Plymouth Geographers)
13
SECRETS OF SUCCESS

• Some underpinnings from GGX2108
• Experience in team working
• Practice at presentational skills
• Attendance at University entrepreneurship
  workshops
• Expert mentoring from the University and from
  local entrepreneurs
• Researching and using information under pressure
• Networking schmoozing!

14
STUDENT OUTCOMES

• CV development a national award
• Offers of graduate employment
• Two start-up businesses
• Development of personal skills
• Self-confidence and maturity
• For Katrina invitation to Enterprising Britain
  final, judge at A level equivalent competition