Hull & Humber KC Cares businesses enter the Den to help inspire young people

Some of the most exciting and innovative new business ideas and inventions have come out of the BBC’s hit TV programme the Dragons Den. So when a team of dragons from Hull businesses visited Hessle Sixth Form College on 7 December and asked pupils to enter the den, they were equally impressed by the ideas they saw.

The session, organised by Hull & Humber KC Cares, brought together professionals from Hull FC, KC, St Stephens’s shopping centre and Cooper Wilkin Chapman Solicitors to listen to pitches from sixth form students who are working towards their A Level Business Studies qualification.

11 students took part in the session which saw business ideas from Website Design to Bespoke Fashion Bags being presented. After each student had pitched, the four dragons evaluated the presentation, asked questions, gave feedback then decided if they would invest in the proposed business.

Vince Groak from Hessle Sixth Form said: “The Dragons Den session is a great way to bring the young people’s learning to life. They get to meet business people and hear their feedback on their ideas, whilst practicing their presentations skills. It’s been an invaluable experience that isn’t available in the normal school environment.”

Jim Harris, St Stephen’s shopping centre manager was one of the dragons, he said: “I’m so impressed by the young people we met. They came up with some great ideas and presented really well, I don’t know if I would have been able to do what they did at their age. These young people are our business leaders of the future and it’s vital that we give them experiences and share our knowledge with them to enable them to be the best they can.”

Hull & Humber KC Cares Business Manager Tessa Wray said: “The Dragons Den sessions gives businesses the chance to inspire pupils and help to raise their aspirations by promoting a culture of enterprise amongst the students and their future workforce. Dragons Den gives the opportunity for experts to demonstrate business knowledge and expertise in a different environment whilst developing their communication and coaching skills that can be taken back into the workplace.”