Purposeful Group has successfully designed and delivered a hugely impactful 12-week online programme on behalf of OneTech to teach 30+ students and graduates the fundamental skills required to start a business and to increase their employability.
Los Angeles, Sep 12, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - OneTech a not-for-profit, set up to challenge lack of diversity within the tech sector partnered with Purposeful Group, a global provider of professional mentoring and specialist masterclasses and programs for entrepreneurs to test the hypothesis that increasing the breadth of the content taught and aligning this with SME's skill gaps would result in more adaptable students with broader skill-sets to make them more attractive to the UK's 5.6 million micro-businesses who have 9 employees or less.
The program's content was designed and delivered by software delivery specialist, best-selling author, and global tech startup mentor, Kay Kukoyi. She says: "During the program, which was operated entirely online, the cohort learned how to build a freelance business from scratch, and how to set up as social media marketers. They built websites, battled with CRM systems and web chat "bots", and learned the art of effective project management, how to operate as effective and emotionally intelligent employees and colleagues, and much more. They have told us how much their skills and confidence have improved, and they're now considering a much wider range of careers - including entrepreneurship!"
Many of the cohort members had never heard of the tools they were introduced to, yet each week they used these new platforms, following a fast-paced schedule of weekly assignments which tested their ability to problem solve, adapt, and learn quickly, working with unfamiliar tech to produce high-quality work.
A staggering 96% of the UK's businesses are classed as "microbusinesses" employing nine or less employees, yet students typically focus on the 0.1% of businesses that have over 250 staff. Whilst the 0.1%, can undoubtedly afford to pay higher salaries and offer the career advancement that graduates dream of, there is a win-win opportunity for young people with the right training to support startups and small business owners through internships, work placements, and part-time work. Students would gain vital work experience, whilst providing much-needed support for time-pressed SME's that are not always aware of the latest labor-saving tools and tech.
Kukoyi, who has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the 100 Most Influential BAME Leaders in the UK Technology Sector says: "With the range of technologies and business skills we have taught them, these young people could support smaller businesses and help them get online, or set-up with tools that would boost their efficiency."
Kukoyi goes on to add: "We encourage young people to start thinking about specializing very early on. Maybe the answer is to start broad during one's early career to producing more commercially well-rounded young people who are all competent in the use of a range of popular business tools and software before they commit to specialist areas of work. Tech is the new universal language. All young people should be fluent in it."
The amount of positive feedback received from the first Talent Incubator cohort has exceeded expectations. The exit survey had a 73.5% response rate, with 100% of respondents rating their confidence in their newfound skills at a level between 7/10 and 10/10, with a massive 40% of the cohort rating their skills at 9/10.
In stark contrast, the cohort rated their confidence in their own skills at between 2/10 to 8/10 before participating in the Talent Incubator powered by Purposeful Group, with 32% rating their skills as 5/10.
Comments from members of the cohort include the following:
"The incubator made me realize just how much we limit ourselves to our degree or current work and skills. I would have never thought as a Biomedical Engineer I would obtain the skills for beginning a start-up, or creating code-free websites!"
"Thank you very much for creating this course and allowing us to be a part of it because I am so sure that it will impact how I develop as a person and the career I am able to build from it."
We also received feedback from several cohort members who had used the interview skills and strategies learned at the Talent Incubator, and been hired as a direct result. One cohort member shared their experience:
"I had an interview after the interview session (week 8) on the incubator. I learned about different ways to approach interview questions and was able to practice with a fellow student on the incubator before I attended the interview. I can proudly say that I successfully completed the interview and I am now working for a Biotech startup."
Purposeful Group and OneTech are extremely excited about what we have created together, and the profound effect the program has had on our first cohort. www.purposefulgroup.com.
Media Contact
Kay Kukoyi CSM FITOL, CEO & Founder.
Source :Purposeful Group
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.
