Pupils at St Luke’s High in Barrhead achieve first ever ‘Enterprise Higher’

Despite lockdown, and the need to complete their assignments online, the students from St Luke’s will be informed by their teachers that they have successfully completed the Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) ‘Company Programme’ – making them the first in the country to gain the new SCQF accredited qualification, introduced at the start of the 2019/20 academic year.

The students had to establish an operational business to demonstrate practical skills in management, finance and marketing, as well as show an entrepreneurial drive.

As schools closed and timetables were disrupted, Young Enterprise Scotland continued to liaise with students online to encourage them to complete the programme.

When surveyed, the vast majority of students participating believed that gaining a qualification for their hard work was the most important aspect of the YES Company Programme. The element of competition was a close second.

Geoff Leask, CEO of Young Enterprise Scotland congratulated everyone who took part in this year’s company programme under particularly challenging conditions.

He said: “This is the first year that students participating in our Company Programme could achieve a ‘Higher’ equivalent qualification and Credit Points for their hard work and I applaud everyone who took part.

“As it turned out, they could not have faced a more challenging set of circumstances and yet their commitment and resilience during the coronavirus lockdown has paid off.

“These students can justifiably call themselves leaders as the first to hold the new qualification.”

He continued: “The aim of YES is to reach young people from all backgrounds and the accredited Company Programme opens up opportunities to those who perhaps don’t respond to traditional, academic subjects but have a drive and an ability to succeed. The numbers taking up the qualification in the first year is hugely encouraging.

“The need for education to innovate has never been more profound and enterprise skills provide both a basis for personal development and future career options. As we move towards the next academic year and the uncertainties that this still holds, YES is working hard to migrate more of its courses and learning materials online to support enterprising young people of all ages.”

The Level 6 qualification for the Company Programme, equivalent to 26-30 Credit Points, is the result of a collaboration between the Scottish Government, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP), Glasgow Kelvin College and Young Enterprise Scotland.

In total, 45 schools in 14 different regions of Scotland took part, with 355 students completing unit 1 to achieve eight credit points before lockdown began.

In total, 230 went on to achieve the Level 6 qualification, by completing two additional units.