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The project started three years ago with the support of some funding from SEEDA and help from Gareth Sear from the Arun Enterprise Gateway. Now it has become an integral part of the College calendar and has been incorporated into the sequence of three Roddick Conferences that the College deliver each year for their students.
After a business style breakfast welcome, Karen Wilson, ‘Face 2 Face with Finance’ Regional Coach for NatWest Bank started the day by talking about the importance of managing debts and keeping control of finances. The students were then split in to workshop groups to learn how to make a good first impression, to look confident and to network successfully, even in a room full of strangers. The workshops, kindly run by volunteers from local businesses, were interactive and challenging. We would like to say a big thank you to the organisations who gave us their time and expertise: Jane Vrettos from Milentos, Miriam Nicholls from Arun District Council, Deborah Naylor from JD Training and Development Ltd, Annette Denby from Reg and Ruby, Ben Bonetti from Empower Your Life, Gareth Sear from Enterprise Gateway, Chris Shephard from Arun District Council and Steve Parmar-Greaves from Parmar Staffing.
All the techniques for success that the students learned in the workshops were put to good use in the Speed Networking Session that followed. Miriam Nicholls from the Arun Business Partnership hosted the session, with more guests from local businesses joining us. The students quickly got used to the quick-fire rounds and found out as much as they could from their business guests and their student colleagues. Some had real ‘lightbulb’ moments where a contact made could have far-reaching potential. For example, one student, hoping to set up his own web development company, took the card of Gareth Sear in order to get some new business start-up advice. Another student with ambitions to develop a business importing goods from the far-east took the card of Deborah Naylor from JD Training and Development as Deborah had for years run her own enterprise importing watches.
The atmosphere was superb and students and guests had great fun introducing each other to the whole group and taking part in the business card ‘raffle’ to win a bottle of something bubbly. Rob and Ben from the Sussex Academy of Music closed the day for us with a short presentation about their exciting new business.
And now for what the people said…
Some quotes from the students:
Really interesting to hear real experiences and getting advice, speaking to the people behind the business.
It was fabulous, we learnt lots, thanks.
Today was helpful because I learnt more about how business works.
Today was very helpful in boosting my confidence with new people and confirming my ideas for the future.
Enjoyed the networking more than I expected.
Really enjoyed it today, learnt lots about business and am more interested in a career in business now.
Learnt how to start conversation with new people, got to meet new people and what it’s like in the ‘business world’.
Some quotes from the businesses:
We met over twenty students during the session, all varying widely in their interests, aspirations and goals; but without exception, every one was entering in to the spirit of the event which helped make it the success it undoubtedly was. You and they should be proud.
Many thanks for the invite to Suited and Booted this year. I always find it refreshing and inspiring working with the young people at Littlehampton Community School.
Just to say thanks for a really fun morning. We thought it went really well, and the kids were brilliant. Good to see some interesting and different businesses there too.
Thanks for the invite, I really got a lot out of it.
