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Confidence to start an SME can be gained at University

Dec 19 2007

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Starting a business requires a certain amount of confidence and life skills which can be acquired through time spent at university, claims a graduate careers expert.

The Association of Graduate Careers Services (AGCS) says there is a 'rising awareness' of owning a business as being a possible career option among graduates.

Graham Nicholson, president of AGCAS, says: 'Having the confidence to start a business is partly a stage of life issue. For the majority of people, having three or four years of maturing time at a university does help with that confidence process.'

He adds that there is now a 'good deal' of support in place for students looking to start their own businesses.

'This is something that has developed in the higher education community in the last ten years,' he concludes.

Research from Barclays shows that out of the 4.3 million SMEs in the UK, graduates from the so-called 'university of life', who haven't studied at undergraduate level, are the most likely to start up a business.

Less than half of SME bosses have a degree, while only 11 per cent believe having a good education is crucial to being a success in business.

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