Enterprise

Entrepreneurs start a new business and take a product (goods or services) to market. You will need to start-up, develop and grow your business using a range of skills, which include:
– Creativity and innovation,
– Confidence and energy,
– Decisiveness and (calculated) risk-taking,
– Communication and networking skills.
– Initiative and proactivity
– Time management and organisation
– Negotiation and persuasiveness
– Commercial awareness and business acumen

To be enterprising, you would need to identify gaps in the market, create ideas for a product or service that is not already available to the market or improve an existing process.

Whilst at University, you can take advantage of the services offered at the Kent Innovation and Enterprise, to help you develop these crucial skills before you graduate.

Make Your Mark Programme
Kent prepares its students for employment or self-employment by offering a dynamic support package of innovative and creative extra-curricular activities designed to increase their skills, abilities, experience and confidence from first year to Masters Level.

Support includes:

Student Enterprise
Student enterprise consists of a range of innovative activities designed to enhance students’ skills and abilities whilst providing them with additional core skills required by a fast-paced employment market. To develop your core skills there are competitions, an Enterprise Award and you can become an Enterprise Champion!

Employability Points Scheme
The Employability Points scheme rewards students for active engagement in extracurricular activities. By collecting points, you can then apply for internships, work placements, mock assessments and workshops with some fantastic companies including Santander, Kent County Council and DSTL.

Kent Enterprise Hub
The University of Kent’s business incubation and support unit is devoted to helping current student, graduate (up to five years) and staff start-up ventures and early stage companies to increase survival rates. Services include: – Business Mentors – Access to Training Modules – Training and Networking events – Business Support

Further information about self-employment and entrepreneurship:
HMRC 
Gov UK – setting up a business
The Start Up Donut
Prospects – Self Employment
Bright Network
Global Entrepreneurship Week