Supporting entrepreneurship in hospitality among young generations

    This week at One Moorgate Place a group of students from a School in Sevenoaks took part in a Classroom to Boardroom project created by the charity Entrepreneurs In Action. It was carried out in collaboration with EP, the One and All Foundation and One Moorgate Place.The aim of the project is to bridge the gap between education and the business world in an effort to make sure that students develop problem-solving and other collateral skills that will make them job-ready.More importantly, this was a unique opportunity for the students to get a better understanding of the world of hospitality and eventually possibly choose it as a career option for the future. The participants were presented a business challenge and were asked to develop a plan and then present their findings to the group of selected judges.     THE CHALLENGE"We recognise that entrepreneurs are becoming younger and younger and the world is changing in terms of impact that technology is having on industry trends such as healthy eating/drinking and reducing obesity are all presenting opportunities for the hospitality entrepreneur. There are many entrepreneurial clubs in schools, colleges and universities, how would you go about raising the awareness of the hospitality industry as an industry for choice for young entrepreneurs to explore entrepreneurial opportunities in these clubs?What themes/trends would you prioritise for young entrepreneurs to focus on when setting-up there business? We would like to encourage new start-ups to have a strong sense of social purpose. How would you help us to engage and attract young entrepreneurs to set-up businesses, which deliver profit and purpose in the hospitality sector?"The output produced by students was extraordinary. In only two days they developed a strategy on how hospitality can create an enabling environment for sustainable, health-focused and innovative ideas.Some of the most innovative ideas they outlined to the industry panel:To create a Entrepreneurship Shadowing Program providing the opportunity for young people to explore the option further by working alongside experienced entrepreneursTo create an app - that they had also designed - aiming to connect Entrepreneurs and Hospitality Leaders in an effort to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity in the hospitality sector.To raise awareness on the social issues in the hospitality sector through events and by promoting also the financial benefits that can encourage social enterprises to thrive and drive the agenda for the industry.