UCLan hosts Young Enterprise Company Programme Lancashire competition. Pic: Tony Worrall

Enterprising Lancashire students have done their best to impress a panel of judges at the University of Central Lancashire in the hope of securing a place in the final of the Young Enterprise Company Programme Lancashire competition.

Last Wednesday pupils from across Lancashire, who have been taking part in the programme since last September, displayed their products and services to a panel of four local business volunteers.

The programme teaches 15-19 year old’s what it is really like to set up and run their own business, helping them to decide on things such as company names, developing products, designing business plans and managing finances.

It also enables students to sell their products at trade fairs and ultimately wind up the company and pay their taxes under the guidance of a volunteer business advisor.

The students hoped to secure a place in the competition’s North West final, which will also be held at UCLan in June.

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Sally Hopkins, Lancashire Young Enterprise Manager, said: “This programme gives the next generation the chance to develop key employability skills at an early age and provides the young people with first-hand experience and insight into the range of roles and skills needed to run a business.

“I’d like to offer a big thank you to local businesses such UCLan, Beaverbrooks, James Hall, Stonehouse Logic, Sumed, Biobag, Carradice, South Ribble Borough Council and Blackburn College who have offered their support to this event to ensure young people are given every chance to reach their potential.”

On the day, BBC Radio Lancashire did a live broadcast from the venue in support of Young Enterprise and the talented young people it works with.

The winners of the contest will now represent the county at the Young Enterprise North West Company of the Year Awards, supported by HSBC, in June.

For this, students will travel from Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Cumbria culminating in an amazing display of young talent across the region.

This year, over 26,000 students across the UK are taking part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme, which is the UK’s leading enterprise and financial education charity.

Will you be taking part in the programme? Have you visited UCLan recently? Let us know in the comments below