Why Enterprise Education Belongs in Every College Curriculum

April 9, 2025

A growing number of young people are keen to start their own business, but without enterprise education embedded in college and school curriculums that ambition may never translate into action.

A recent article in FE Week highlighted that while 60 per cent of young people are interested in entrepreneurship, just 16 per cent actually go on to pursue it. That gap presents a huge opportunity-one that the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is committed to helping bridge.

Through our ongoing conversations with local employers, colleges, and training providers, one message has come through loud and clear: alongside technical skills and industry-specific training, young people need real-world preparation, including soft skills, financial literacy, creative thinking, communication, and resilience. These are some of the building blocks of enterprise education, and they are just as vital to an individual’s success as formal qualifications.

Enterprise is a skill, not just a pathway
Enterprise education isn’t just about creating future business owners. It’s about nurturing transferable skills like initiative, problem-solving, and adaptability – skills that are essential across every sector, from construction and agri-tech to life sciences and digital.

When we give young people the tools to think entrepreneurially, we’re not just supporting start-ups, we’re also empowering the next generation of employees, intrapreneurs, and changemakers who will innovate from within our existing businesses.

Embedding enterprise through the LSIP
At the heart of the LSIP is the ambition to better connect the education system to the realities of the workplace. That means:

• Supporting colleges and training providers to embed enterprise education in a structured, accessible way
• Encouraging meaningful employer engagement – bringing businesses into the classroom and students into the workplace
• Championing initiatives like extended work experience, enterprise days, and business mentoring in education
• Creating pathways for all – including those with SEND (special education needs or disabilities) or at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) to develop confidence, leadership, and commercial awareness

Enterprise education also plays a critical role in tackling disadvantage. For young people who may not see a clear path into employment, entrepreneurial thinking can open up new possibilities—and new future careers.

What’s next for Cambridgeshire
As part of the LSIP’s ongoing work, we’re exploring how enterprise education can be embedded more effectively across our region. We’re speaking with FE (Further Education) and HE (Higher Education) providers, local colleges, local employers, and careers leaders to build a more entrepreneurial, opportunity-rich future for all young people.

Whether someone wants to launch their own business or simply excel in the workplace of tomorrow, one thing is clear: enterprise matters.

If you’re a business or education provider interested in supporting this work, get in touch with our team via the LSIP section of the website: https://www.cambridgeshirechamber.co.uk/sectors/localskills/