Workplace culture specialist Katie Beardmore still remembers the moment her Young Enterprise project made its first sale – and how that experience gave her confidence that she still carries today.
In our latest guest article, Katie reflects on how Young Enterprise shaped her early career and why she now supports the programme as a mentor, encouraging local businesses to get involved in helping the next generation.
“When people talk about preparing young people for the world of work, the focus often falls on qualifications and grades. Important, yes, but they don’t always show whether someone can work in a team, solve problems, manage money or back themselves when it matters.
That’s why Young Enterprise is vital.
I remember taking part in the programme at school. We didn’t just learn about business – we actually ran one.
Making decisions, facing challenges and seeing the consequences when things didn’t go to plan gave me confidence and practical skills I still carry today. And nothing sticks in your mind like that first real sale. It’s a small moment that teaches you big lessons about effort and belief in what you’re doing.
I’m very much a learn-by-doing person and, as someone who is neurodivergent, that practical approach made a huge difference to how confident I felt engaging and contributing.
The programme has evolved significantly, with initiatives such as Learn to Earn, Employability Masterclasses, and Launch Pad, all designed to give young people hands-on experience of the skills employers value most.
Confidence, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and financial awareness aren’t “nice to haves”. They’re essential life skills.
In fact, the three skills employers consistently tell us they need most right now are time management, communication and resilience. Young Enterprise builds all three in a very real way – young people have to juggle deadlines, explain ideas, adapt when things go wrong, and keep going.
Young Enterprise works with schools, colleges, and youth groups across the UK, particularly in areas where opportunity can feel out of reach. Its practical, flexible approach suits a wide range of learning styles and, for some young people, sparks motivation that traditional lessons simply don’t.
I’ve been impressed by how businesses are stepping up to support this work locally. Leek Building Society, for example, is delivering financial education in secondary schools, helping young people understand budgeting, tax, careers, and money management – knowledge that many of us only gained later in life.
At a time when schools are under pressure, employers are facing skills gaps, and young people are navigating an uncertain future, this kind of collaboration matters. There’s growing evidence that enterprise education improves engagement, attendance, and attitudes to learning. These are outcomes that benefit everyone.
I’m proud to now support the programme as a Young Enterprise mentor, giving back some of what I gained and helping inspire the next generation. The group I’m working with now are ace. They actively ask me to join meetings because they value my input, and I’ve also been able to use my contacts through the Chamber to support them in practical ways.
If you’re a business leader looking to make a practical difference, you can attend the cohort’s trade fair and pitch day at Commerce House on Monday, 9 February, or get in touch to become a mentor yourself.
Sometimes the most meaningful investment a business can make isn’t in systems or strategy, it’s in people.
Decades later I still value my YE business programme participation, and experience of being a mentor and judge since has given me confidence that the UK is in good hands if businesses can give young people the opportunity to shine.