New Business Launch for Pathways Students
On Thursday 9 October Dunstable College’s Pathways students are launching Daisy Creations, a new Young Enterprise company.
The launch event is being held in the college’s Coffee Shop, 1600-1800 and invitees include local mayors, dignitaries, the media and college governors.
Daisy Creations will produce a variety of arrangements of flowers, bouquets, floral table decorations etc, as well as gifts and cards. The range of products will be promoted at the launch, along with the opportunity to buy shares in the company.
Once the company is up and running, the products will be prepared by the students in college and sold in the Coffee Shop, at Trade Fairs, and Christmas Fayres. Students’ initial tasks will include the photography of the flowers in order to produce a brochure. This will be their most ambitious venture to date.
Young Enterprise is a charity that helps young people in schools and colleges set up a business for a year to learn what is involved in starting up, running and winding down a business. Dunstable College students have been involved in running companies within the Company Programme and Team Programme.
For a number of years some students in Pathways have been running a company under Team Programme. Paul Thomson is the Area Manager for Young Enterprise East of England and he has been on hand to help with any queries. He also recruits Business Advisors from commerce who voluntarily come in to work with and advise the students on a regular basis.
Pathways tutor Jenny Bagworth comments, “Students are currently learning how to open a bank account and set up a system for keeping their finances in order. They have appointed a Finance Director and Managing Director. Another group in Pathways will be responsible for producing the flowers that have been ordered. They hope to get some regular orders. They will learn about quality control, careful handling of stock and wastage.
“As well as the Management, Production and Finance Teams there will also be teams responsible for Sales, Marketing, Personnel and Administration. They will have regular meetings within teams and as a whole team. They will learn about working together, good communication and customer care etc.”
