In the wake of the recession and in this current employment climate it has become increasingly clear to many students that their first graduate job, or at least the initial steps of their careers, will not be easy.
In response to the increasingly competitive job market and in order to recoup university expenses which are set to treble for many of this year's undergraduate intakes, many students are taking entrepreneurial initiative and forcing themselves proactively into the job market.Universities have recognised the difficulty students will be facing and the potential benefits students can reap from indulging their entrepreneurial instincts. This has resulted in an exponential growth in enterprise societies and business incubators which offer students crucial advice and facilities in order to equip them fully to embark on their entrepreneurial challenge. Hushpreet Dhaliwal, chief executive of the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs substantiates this observed growth in university support as universities invest heavily in developing enterprise societies, 'Two years ago there were 12 of these across the country; now there are 86.'
There is an inherent risk for students who participate in entrepreneurial work alongside their degree; committing so much time to extra-curricular activities could harm your chances of achieving the highest degree result you are capable of. While this risk must be taken into account there is also a counteracting argument that entrepreneurial experience will endow students with skills and knowledge which more than compensate for the extent their academic studies may suffer. This opinion that experience counts for more than academia appears to be prevalent amongst employer as Sonja Stockton, head of recruitment for PricewaterhouseCoopers says, "It is getting harder for employers to distinguish between the mass of degree qualifications in the jobs market at the moment [...] we assess applicants 'in the moment' rather than relying on historical academic performance."
Regardless of the potential timetable conflict, it is perfectly possible for students to achieve a healthy lifestyle balance in which both academic and entrepreneurial work can be undertaken and performed to a high standard. Partaking in enterprise while at university can be an amazing means to developing self-confidence in your own abilities, enhancing your employability skill set as well as allowing you to learn on a personal level what elements of employment spark your interest. All these factors, combined with the more immediate financial incentive that entrepreneurial ventures could provide, are all clear indicators of what students who take advantage of their university enterprise schemes stand to gain.
