Back in class to help future entrepreneurs (From The Northern Echo)

Back in class to help future entrepreneurs

12:08pm Wednesday 25th February 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

THE managing director of a product development company went back to school to teach students about business.

Gary Thompson, who has 25 years of experience in front-line engineering and product development, and who is the owner and managing director of Gateshead firm C2M UK, returned to his former school to help encourage young people into the world of business.

As well as sharing his experiences, Mr Thompson talked to a group of 14 to 16-year-olds at Ferryhill Enterprise College, in County Durham, about how to approach risk taking and decision making, as well as budgeting and personal financial management.

Mr Thompson was working on behalf of Young Enterprise North-East and is one of the latest volunteers for its One Day campaign, which urges businesses across the region to dedicate one day’s worth of their time, resources or services to encourage young people to follow their career dreams.

He said: “If we don’t support and nurture young people now and give them our experience, then who will they get it from?

“Going back to my old school was very satisfying.

By my volunteering, the students gain a better understanding of the real world and the difficulties that they can face in business when leaving the comfort of school.”