At the 2014 SME Assembly in Naples, the Primary to Professional project has received Special Mention in the ‘Investing in Entrepreneurial Skill’ category at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards.
The Primary to Professional (P2P) project, which is led by Gower College Swansea in collaboration with Swansea Council, the Welsh Government, primary and secondary schools, higher education providers, Tech Hub and other business partners, seeks to build the enterprise skills of young people by providing bespoke courses.
An innovative and inclusive project, it helps kick-start the careers of budding entrepreneurs from primary schools, secondary schools, Further and Higher Education. It is funded by the local authority, the Welsh Government and a variety of local business partners.
Organisations from all 28 EU Member States (as well as Iceland, Serbia and Turkey) competed for the chance to win either a specific category or the prestigious Grand Jury Prize. Initially, hundreds of projects competed in national competitions. Then 58 national winners entered the European level of competition. The awards, which formally recognise innovation and reward the success of public bodies and public-private partnerships in promoting enterprise across the EU, were open to all local, regional and national initiatives looking to encourage small businesses and promote entrepreneurship.
“My congratulations to...Gower College Swansea on their success at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards,” says Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise. “Entrepreneurial new businesses are vital to the continued economic revival of our country so it is extremely gratifying to see the work of...British projects gaining international recognition.”
“We are thrilled to have received Special Mention for this prestigious award and pleased our work has been recognised across Europe,” says Gower College Swansea Enterprise Education Manager Sue Poole. “This project has been a labour of love for me, working with partners across the city including primary schools, secondary schools and further education colleges, our two local universities, the local authority and all our mentors and sponsors from across the business community. Being shortlisted and invited to Naples means the world to us and is huge recognition for the innovative and inclusive P2P project and I would like to thank the European Enterprise Promotion Awards committee for recognising all the hard work we have undertaken over the past few years.”
In Europe, SMEs provide two out of three private sector jobs and are responsible for 85% of new jobs created. It is estimated that SMEs account for 67% of total employment and 58% of gross value added (GVA). The latest research shows that SMEs continue to form the backbone of the European economy, with some 20.6 million firms employing almost 87 million people and accounting for more than 99.8% of all enterprises.
Background
Since 2006, the European Enterprise Promotion Awards have rewarded excellence in promoting entrepreneurship and small business at a national, regional and local level. Over 2 800 projects have entered since the awards were launched and together they have supported the creation of thousands of new companies.
The Awards' objectives are to create a greater awareness of the role entrepreneurs play in European society and encourage and inspire potential entrepreneurs. This is achieved by identifying and recognising successful activities and initiatives to promote enterprise and entrepreneurship, and then showcasing and sharing examples of best entrepreneurship policies and practices.