One of the biggest reported weak spots in the North East is our low rate of start-up businesses and entrepreneurial spirit compared to other parts of the country: happily the mood seems to be changing.

It's easy to see the roots of the problem, of course, with a regional tradition of leaving school to go to a big employer; time was when many youngsters would know from childhood that their likely future lay with the Coal Board, British Steel, ICI or whoever. All that, of course, has changed dramatically and it is the smaller companies, including the start-ups, which are the main employers now. What's also clear, though, is that the larger organisations are also realising the value of really involving young people and giving them the confidence to make a future.

On Monday evening, I had the happy experience of compering the Young People Mean Business Awards at the Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel near Newcastle. It was an inaugural event, supported by the Learning and Skills Council and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and I'm sure it's one which will grow like Topsy in years to come. The Awards are all about recognising and celebrating the North East employers who engage and work with young people, and the sheer commitment and enthusiasm, from employers and young employees, was very evident on the night.

It's not always the glamour-puss outfits who are doing the best work, and it would have surprised some people that the Special Recognition Award went to the Inland Revenue National Insurance Contributions Office (NICO to their friends!). When you understand the scale of their operation, and the long-standing commitment to young ambition, the prize was clearly well-deserved.

Among the other success stories, a company called Railway Performance stood out. Sorely needed these days, this young company aims to provide first class services to railway infrastructure companies, with the target of improving reliability and capacity, and reducing costs of the maintenance and renewal of tracks. Well done them on putting money where mouth is and developing the railway engineers of the future.

When you combine what I saw on Monday night with work being done at Hartlepool College to encourage young entrepreneurs in the ICT field, you can feel much more optimistic about the future.

There's a lot to be concerned about for the North East, and the UK, economy with so much work heading East, but the real solution is not to bemoan the world we have, but to make an effective change for the world which is coming. Congratulations again to the stars I've met who are working hard to make that positive difference.

Published: 25/06/2003