Trying to find a job in a recession can sometimes leave you feeling like you would rather try find the needle in a haystack.
Yet this has not stopped a group of ambitious youngsters, who are using the lack of jobs as an excuse to create their own-and are enjoying continued success from it.
Supported by the University of Huddersfield-based Enterprise Team, around 50 students have chosen to flex their entrepreneurial muscles and create their own businesses from scratch.
On top of this, their ventures are helping reduce unemployment amongst young people in the Kirklees area, which currently stands at 13.3% of 18 to 24 year olds.
It is no reason then, that the university has been named as one of the most entrepreneurial in the UK.
The Enterprise Team, which is funded part funded by the ERDF Graduate Entrepreneurship Project, and was formerly known as Business Skills, formed at the university 10 years ago.
It moved into the 3M Business Innovation Centre last year, where it was officially opened by the Duke of York.
In their space the team provide hot desk space for around 45 businesses, made up of current students and graduates of up to five years.
They also offer them free printing and telephone calls, meeting spaces and provide them with advice and support.
One member of the team, business advisor Philip Clegg, said: “The impressive thing is the diversity of businesses that students have started.
“We give them the skills to bring their idea to market-it’s great to be in a position where we can support these people achieve.
“They have taken advantage of what’s on offer to them and are becoming real successes.”
We met several students who are now enjoying success after using the team as a springboard into business.
Crafty Praxis
Elisa Etemad began designing jewellery in 2009 and made the leap to found one of Huddersfield’s most well-known craft shops 17 months ago, after seeing a gap in the market.
The 25-year-old, whose shop is in the Byram Arcade, sells the work of over 100 designers, as well as her own, and recently expanded after the shop’s popularity boomed.
She said: “I realised that there weren’t any independent craft shops in Huddersfield but a lot of creative people looking for a platform on which to promote, exhibit and sell their work.
“I had found it difficult to sell my own jewellery due to competition in the industry so decided to open my own shop.
“Opening in a recession was difficult but as crafts are something that people like to buy as presents and look at in real life it’s working well so far.”
As popularity increased she moved to larger upstairs space and now also puts on workshops and craft fairs in the arcade.
She said: “It has been one of the most exciting thing I have ever done and really rewarding.
“Working for myself allows me to see the impact of all the hours of hard work that I’ve put in and it’s nice to be able to work with others around me to help bring more business into the area.”
Scriba PR
Last year Katie Mallinson, 28, took advantage of the Enterprise Team’s commitment to help students up to five years after they graduate and set up her own PR company.
She graduated in 2008 and provides publicity for those in the trade industry, especially those dealing in recycling and waste, which she says are relatively new to the concept.
“People said that I was crazy to quit my job and go out on my own but I have no regrets at all.
“Starting out was a real challenge because I was asking companies to invest in my service at a time when many were making cutbacks.
“But I worked hard at pitching myself to them, showed them my past achievements and they opened up to me.
“Having gained experience in the PR industry before I set out on my own definitely helped and I think it’s great that you can approach the Enterprise Team a few years after graduating.
“If a student or ex-student has a burning desire to set up their own business then they should go for it.
“It’s not necessarily easy but if you plan and work hard there is no reason why you can’t be a success, especially with the help that’s on hand.
“The internet and other technology is also opening a lot of doors to new business people because it allows them to work easily with companies around the world from their office.”
Hypersloth
Sam Read, Lewis Bibby and Ash Stancill began their internet video games company in 2012 whilst on an industry placement.
With the help of the Enterprise Team they have delayed returning to their studies for another year to develop their first game, Dream and plan for the future to help keep their company going after they graduate.
They are working with the Enterprise Team to get funding to research an exciting new venture which involves developing virtual reality software to help people recover from medical conditions, such as strokes, or accidents.
Sam said: “We set up Hypersloth at the start of our placement year because none of us had managed to find a job.
“Internet games are a good development because they cut out costs created by middlemen like distributors and packagers.
“This means that new and small companies like ourselves are able to publish their own games more easily.
“It’s been stressful but we got funding to finish the game in July and hope the final version will be ready by September.
“Creating virtual reality software for medical purposes is developing quickly so we want to get funding to help us become one of the early companies to get involved, as well as continue to create games.”
Fifth Planet Productions CIC
Trio Nic Flatt, Stacey Powers and Elisa Paz run a not-for-profit multimedia production company that specialises in working with charities and other community groups.
Nic and Stacey started the company whilst studying Music Technology and Digital Media at the university and began working at it full time last July.
They originally provided graphic design work and now offer video, animation, photography and soundtrack creation.
Understanding how tough it can be to find a job has also encouraged them to pay other students to collaborate with them.
This is on top of their mentoring work with disengaged school children from the area.
Nic, 22, said: “Running our own business has been hard work but we love it and the support we’ve got from the Enterprise Team has been great.
“Helping good causes through our work is important and gives us a great sense of job satisfaction.
“Because of this social approach we have also been able to get funding which means that we’re now able to think about expanding our team and hope to take on some extra people in the summer.”
Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news.
To follow us on Twitter click here
