Northland Takes Step Towards Enterprising Future

Northland Takes Another Step Towards an Enterprising Future

Another step will be taken this year in training the next generation of Northland entrepreneurs, with the launch of a programme to help high school teachers develop an enterprise culture in their schools.

The Northland Enterprising Teachers (NET) project builds on the success of the Young Entrepreneur Programme (YEP) which operates in 17 Northland schools and encourages students to develop skills that will help them in business careers.

After less than two years in operation, YEP has already led to three businesses being started by young Northlanders, and seen hundreds more students learning new skills and broadening their horizons to include plans for a business career.

“YEP has focused on the students whereas the NET programme will focus on the teachers,” says Project Manager Frank Leadley. “It’s a professional development programme designed to upskill them so they can understand what enterprise is all about and then develop an enterprise approach to the teaching of their respective subjects.”

Mr Leadley says that could result in teachers getting their classes out to work with local businesses, so students can see why they are learning what they are learning and how the skills they’re developing at school could help them find work or set up their own business.

NET is aimed at upskilling teachers in all areas of the curriculum, not just economics and business management teachers but also science, english and other specialists.

Like the Young Entrepreneur Programme, NET is being run by Enterprise Northland and co-funded by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) from its Enterprise Culture and Skills Activities Fund, as well as Northland electricity lines companies Top Energy and Northpower.

It will kick off with a conference at the Waitangi Copthorne Resort in early August which is expected to involve teachers from most Northland high schools.

The conference will feature guest speakers and workshops on developing enterprise leadership, building an enterprise culture in schools and developing an enterprise approach to the curriculum. Several teachers from each school will attend and they will form “enterprise cells” in each school, helping other teachers also develop an enterprise approach to their teaching.

Mr Leadley will work with teachers in individual schools to help them develop an enterprise culture, and follow-up conferences will be held in November and in June 2004.

NZTE General Manager of Marketing Julian Moore says the Northland Enterprising Teachers programme will be an important next step in developing an enterprise culture in Northland schools.

“This programme builds on the outstanding success of YEP, which has already produced some good results amongst young people. We’re proud to be associated with both programmes and encourage teachers from throughout the region to register for the conference so they can also learn more about enterprise in education.”

© Scoop Media