The Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at SBS has been helping final year school pupils boost their chances of gaining a job or university place in partnership with Young Enterprise Scotland.The Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at SBS has been helping final year school pupils boost their chances of gaining a job or university place in partnership with Young Enterprise Scotland.
For the past 40 years, YES has been running its acclaimed Company Programme across Scotland. Allowing students to set up and run their own company has offered them a practical learning experience that participants regularly confirm helps them on the road to enterprise and successful entrepreneurship.
Now in its 20th year, the YES exam allows final year school pupils to go one step further and gain a qualification from their experience. Students are graded on the understanding of business they have gained through running their own company with Young Enterprise Scotland.
YES CEO Stuart Miller said, "The exam offers students an opportunity to prove they haven't just been along for the ride with another session of enterprise education. They are able to demonstrate how their business skills have developed and are asked to show in detail what they have learned. Gaining a qualification from such a reputable body as Strathclyde is evidence of their business insight and a reward for their hard work throughout the year."
Caroline Laurie from the Hunter Centre, added, "We're delighted to continue our support of the YES examination. Each year between 1,300 and 1,800 students from over 100 schools across Scotland take the exam and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of what it takes to start a company, introducing them to the world of commerce and building pupils' confidence in their abilities to start their own business. The certificate provides evidence of the students' ability to learn from their experiences and thus can be an important feature for job applications, personal statements and a valuable talking point at interviews."
Over the past 20 years, over 30,000 students have sat the exam. From February 18 to March 1, around 1300 students across Scotland take their seat for their first taste of a university examination. Whether those who pass use their new internationally recognised qualification to get into university, find employment or simply as evidence of their first successful business venture, this demonstrates their first steps and contribution towards an enterprising Scotland of the future.