Member Article

Ammar Mirza: PIE Conference a step towards reinvigorating Sage founder David Goldman’s original vision

Efforts to engage, enlighten and educate primary pupils to the world of enterprise will take place at Newcastle University Business School this friday.

The region’s first Primary Inspiration through Enterprise (PIE) Conference will see local politicians, business, community, and education leaders meet to promote an ethos of ‘primary to prosperity’, emphasising the importance and value of introducing enterprise to children at an early age.

North East entrepreneur Ammar Mirza, the current holder of the David Goldman visiting Professorship for Innovation and Enterprise at Newcastle University Business School, explains the vision behind PIE.

“I want to reinvigorate David Goldman’s original vision”, revealed Ammar.

“David recognised the importance in connecting education and business. His work through Sage, and through Newcastle University Business School, is an inspirational legacy for the region to behold.

“There’s a great amount of work happening in the North East to stimulate enterprise at primary level, what we’re doing is joining everything up. We’re launching friday’s event to increase communication, collaboration and celebration throughout the region.

The first PIE conference will enable attendees to find out about:

• How businesses and primary schools can work together to deliver PIE
• NFCE entry Level 3 Award in Enterprise
• Provision of Real Work Environments
• How Enterprise activity can be integrated into the curriculum
• The Employer framework - engaging with local schools
• Support for Careers Days, Industry Visits

Ammar continued: “Research has proven creativity peaks in human beings at age eleven, we want to bring the best out of all children and provide opportunities to enhance their learning and interest in enterprise.

“We want every child to get opportunities to explore business further, independent of politics or current policy. This is a vision very much driven and led by business. If we can teach skills and build this foundation, we’ll eventually reap the benefits of children realising their ambitions and aspirations.”

Speakers for friday’s event event include: Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, Cllr Joyce McCarthy, Deputy Leader of Newcastle City Council, Roy Sandbach, Chair Innovation North East, and former NELEP interim chief Bob Paton.

“We’ve got a great collection of speakers complemented by the involvement of key businesses, such as Microsoft who will be in attendance. It’s an event that I’m very passionate about and I know many in the region are too” added Ammar.

Sarah Callender, MD at Bdaily, will be one of many regional business leaders in attendance of the event.

Sarah said: “Business is something which affects us during all stages of life. Gathering the region’s enterprise experts together will help stimulate awareness and provide a vehicle for driving forward progress.

“Communication and collaboration only help to increase the entrepreneurial spirit already existing in this region, known for its business passion. It will be great for Bdaily to partake in celebrating Ammar’s ‘primary to prosperity’ vision, at friday’s event.”