Young Enterprise scheme hailed

Children who take part in a business education scheme at school go on to earn a third more than their peers, research has found.

Results from a six month study by the FreshMinds consultancy found that graduates of the Young Enterprise programme were typically earning between £40,000 and £45,000 after they reached the age of 30, a third more than those who had not taken part in the programme. The research also suggested that students developed better life skills through the scheme. Nearly six out of 10 students who had been on the scheme said they had a ‘good understanding’ of career options when they left school; but only 46% of those who did not take part agreed. The research also found the programme helped students far more than normal lessons to develop skills in teamwork, presentation, risk taking and self motivation. The FreshMinds research covered 721 Young Enterprise students, and a ‘control’ group of 1,260 others. More than 400 people from each group went on to complete an in-depth survey