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Entrepreneurial awards break the mold

DESIGN students in the North East will be showcasing their skills before some of the region’s leading entrepreneurs after being invited to create a set of awards.

The Entrepreneurs’ Forum has, for the first time, handed over the design of its prestigious annual awards to some of the region’s universities and colleges.

The awards – for Lifetime Achievement, Emerging Talent and Entrepreneur of the Year – will be presented during a gala dinner following the Forum’s seventh annual business conference on May 20.

Students in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at the University of Sunderland are designing the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Design students are based in the city’s Design Centre which has benefited from an investment of more than £1.5m in the last two years.

Students at Newcastle College are designing both the Entrepreneur of the Year and Emerging Talent Award.

One of the biggest further and higher education colleges in the country, facilities at the School of Art and Design include drawing, painting and sculpture studios, workshops for the design and manufacture of clothing and textiles, fully equipped wood and metal workshops and a £500,000 ceramics workshop.

Phil Bawden, director of the School of Art and Design at Newcastle College, said: “Our students in the School of Art and Design are delighted to be involved in the design and creation of such prestigious awards. This project is a fantastic opportunity for them to explore creative and innovative techniques and will be a great addition to their portfolios.

“Working to live briefs gives our students the chance to put the skills and techniques they have learned into practice. It is also valuable experience which will help them when they progress to employment.”

Carole Beverley, chief executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said: “The Forum aims to encourage entrepreneurship at all levels and does much to encourage entrepreneurial spirit among the region’s young people, including hosting major conferences in the past aimed specifically at graduates and under-graduates.

“We are delighted to be involving students this year and showcasing their talent in front of our conference delegates as part of our awards presentation. We are all looking forward to seeing the finished designs.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .