Layout 2 - University of Central Lancashire

Young talent bred and
celebrated in Lancashire
2011 was a tough year for business with record
numbers of small businesses ceasing to trade and,
perhaps more shockingly, bigger industry players
going into administration. UCLan’s graduate talent
bucked the trend with a record 161 graduate
start-up businesses developed from the University;
a competitive number compared with the national
university average of 28.
The numbers are testimony to the supportive role
the University plays in the development and
nurturing of young entrepreneurial and business
talent. Not only through the support available to
emerging young start-ups via the business
incubation service and support based in the
Media Factory building, but also through
innovative teaching methods for all students.
UCLan is committed to creating graduates with a
creative flair and entrepreneurial talent ready for
the world of work.
And it’s more than just being urged to work hard.
UCLan students and graduates are also
encouraged to take a creative approach to help in
their development. So in collaboration with
Lancashire Business View, a leading business
magazine for Lancashire, UCLan has developed
regular ‘Young ‘Uns’ events, a unique partnership
where like-minded young entrepreneurs and
business professionals are able to network and
develop the links to help their careers flourish.
From the success of the networking events and
the young talent featured in Lancashire Business
View, the inaugural Young ’Uns Awards was born.
Celebrating the region’s future stars, the awards
recognised and awarded young professional,
entrepreneurial and business talent under the age
of 36 or with start-up businesses less than three
years old. For UCLan, acknowledging the
contribution these new businesses and young
talent make to the regional economy and business
community is vital, not only to retain home-grown
talent but also to encourage future generations to
be entrepreneurial.
More than 250 ‘Young ‘Uns’ and business leaders
descended on UCLan’s Westleigh Conference
Centre, for a celebratory evening complete with
stilt walkers, samba drummers and a hog roast
barbecue. Guests soaked up the inspirational
atmosphere and waited with baited breath to see
which talented candidate had won coveted
awards such as Young Business Person Award,
Outstanding Achiever Award, The One to Watch
Award and the Young ‘Un of the Year.
On behalf of the judging panel Mark Collin,
Director of the Young Institute of Directors (IOD),
commented: “The judging panel completely
agreed that we have some outstanding talent in
the region and that we should be incredibly
proud of this; this unique event recognises all of
those who are pushing the boundary locally.”
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Pictured: Esmail Patel and Kenneth
Cheung receive their awards.