IBM Competition 2008 – Sheffield

The IBM Universities Business Challenge is the premier business simulation competition for all university undergraduates in the UK who want to have a life-changing experience. The IBM UBC is a true learning experience for all those who enter. Commencing in October each year, the competition helps students improve their decision-making skills, develop their team-working abilities and increase their knowledge of key business areas such as marketing, finance, production and human resources.

Last year saw two of Sheffield’s three teams get through to the semi-final stage of this competition. Due to this success in 2008 we have entered six teams and so far all the teams appear to be doing well. We will have to wait and see how well the competition continues to go for them. Good luck to Sheffield!

Skill Build

Yet again the Skill Build program is running its course at Sheffield.  We have a regular skill session on a weekly basis during term time.

As part of the Sheffield Graduate Award, Skill Build gives students the chance to develop their enterprise and entrepreneurial skills – and pick up points towards the Award!

Skill Build is a series of workshops, seminars and events, with internal and external speakers. The sessions run over both semesters with two distinct series of sessions. Students can attend both series in full or one in isolation. At the end of the series they will be invited to reflect on what they have learned. Everyone who has completed the sessions and reflected on what they have learned will receive a certificate and a skills portfolio.

Enterprise Week marks start of Christmas Flea Market in Sheffield

The following events have been put together by the team of Interns at Sheffield.  This has given them the opportunity to create and plan events, with guidance from CETLE staff.  It will be seen as part of their learning experience because they will have learnt new skills during these tasks.

An introductory session to a CHRISTMAS FLEA MARKET (to be held on 3 December) was held during Enterprise Week.  This will be seen as an excellent opportunity for students to gain new skills!

The idea is to give students a budget to buy goods from charity shops, which they will then sell at the market.  They can keep the profit and the winning team will get £50 (although it has been suggested any profit be given to a local charity).

The introductory meeting was held on 17 November in the Enterprise Zone.  This event will also count towards the ‘Sheffield Graduate Award‘.  The event was well attended and 27 teams will be taking part in the actual Market on 3 December.

Two other events planned for Enterprise Week unfortunately had to be cancelled due to poor take-up and illness.

Sheffield business creation competition finals!

Yet another successful Business Creation Competition this year! A panel of judges sat and listened to seven companies pitching to win the coveted prize in July 2008.

With Enterprise week looming just around the corner – what better way than to hold the award ceremony in conjunction with Enterprise Week.

This year the award ceremony was a celebration of several achievements at the University of Sheffield:-

The final of the Business Creation Competition was held in July with seven companies vying for the judges’ marks.  After some deliberation, the panel awarded 1st prize of £3000 to Ike Sikuade (one of our own Interns) with her company The Colour Couture (sells luxury handmade jewellery and contemporary colour bead gemstone jewellery) and 2nd prize of £2000 went to Fiona Wilson of emmersons Ltd (Information Management and Knowledge Management).  In 3rd place was Bettina Yarde with her company Morgan Dias Immigration Consultants.

The celebration continued with the outstanding achievement of Sheffield SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) who this year have become European Champions after winning the SIFE European Symposium which was held in London.  This is an annual competition which was an opportunity for nine European teams, including Sheffield, to showcase their work in the local community to a European audience.

Finally, we acknowledged the success of Tom Garwood, a student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering who was named most enterprising student in the Midlands after winning 1st prize in the Regional Shell STEP Awards.

Sheffield Enterprise Zone launch 2008-09

Monday 6 October saw the Enterprise Zone hosting a launch of the Zone to new and existing students of the University of Sheffield.  We had exhibitions from student entrepreneurs, student societies and local businesses involved in enterprise and business start-ups.  In addition we advertised forthcoming events both new and continuing.  Interns and staff were available to answer questions.

The event was well attended and following the launch, the first of the Skill Build sessions for this academic year took place.  Interns introduced attendees to “What is Enterprise” by using the game Flux.

Sheffield CETLE welcomes new staff

This academic year (2008-09) has seen the Enterprise Zone in Sheffield with a new team of Interns with one continuing and one currently on a year out studying in the States. The new team are working well together and organizing a variety of events.

STAFF CHANGES

Liz Gillott, Enterprise Zone Manager left at the end of June to take up a post with Business & Education South Yorkshire (B&E-SY). B&E-SY is the leading strategic body established to develop education and business links activities in South Yorkshire.

Following Liz’s departure, her job role was remodeled and Helen Parrott will be replacing Liz in the new role of Enterprise Business Manager and will be joining us in January 2009.  Helen is coming to us from her role as Business Liaison Officer (Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences) within the Office of Corporate Partnerships at the University of Sheffield.

Professor John Yates stepped down from the role of Director in Sheffield to go on a sabbatical.

Taking on the role of Academic Director for the White Rose CETLE now is Professor Peter Marsh – he is Professor of Child and Family Welfare, he stepped down from being Dean of Social Sciences in the summer. He is adviser to the Department of Children Schools and Families on the development of social enterprises for social work, and has been involved in innovation and knowledge exchange across the social sciences throughout his academic career. In addition to the existing programmes of the CETLE<, he will in particular be developing the social enterprise agenda, student communities of practice, and staff and student engagement across the social sciences and arts.