Date at Downing Street for Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning
CfEL's Deputy Director attends PM's reception celebrating the New Entrepreneurship Foundation
CfEL's Deputy Director, Dr Joanna Mills (Pictured with the PM), was invited to attend a special reception hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street on 4th July to celebrate the New Entrepreneurship Foundation (NEF), meet current delegates of the NEF programme launched in 2011 and to thank the various sponsors and partners. The NEF was founded by a group of UK business leaders aiming to equip aspiring young entrepreneurs with the hands-on experience, skills and networks to launch and build new businesses. The aim is to help create a new generation of outstanding entrepreneurs who will build market leading businesses and play a key role in the future prosperity of the UK.
The first cohort of thirty selected entrepreneurs has just completed their first year on the programme. The programme comprises four key elements including a one-year, paid placement working alongside the CEO and senior teams within some of the UK's most entrepreneurial and fast growing companies; and an intensive 10 month learning and development programme focusing on developing both their 'hard' skills (finance, strategy, negotiation, spotting opportunities, pitching to investors and managing growth businesses) and their 'soft' skills (knowing their strengths, building effective teams, developing personal networks and social capital, building resilience and managing innovation). The learning has been delivered by a range of providers including sponsors such as Diageo, Deloitte, Tesco, and PWC and leading business schools including the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. The Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, as a part of the business school, was instrumental to the learning through contributing a two-day workshop on Developing Social Capital.
Neeta Patel, CEO of the New Entrepreneurs Foundation, said: "The learning programme that the cohort gets during their year on the programme is a key element of their entrepreneurial journeys. We are delighted that so many providers have agreed to deliver workshops to help the Class, and we're particularly grateful for the support from Cambridge Judge Business School and the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL) during this first year. The workshop on Social Capital was a great hit with the Class of 2012 and we hope that we will be able to collaborate with the school next year and in future years."