Freelancing, self-employment and business start up

Do you have a business idea or want to be self-employed? Student and Graduate Enterprise can give you free support.

Student and Graduate Enterprise is a free start-up support service for Northumbria University graduates (up to 5 years) who want to be self-employed, start their own business or become a freelancer. As portfolio careers are becoming increasingly common whereby individuals may have multiple strands to their career,  self-employment or starting your own business does not necessarily need to be seen as an alternative to a graduate job.

Northumbria is ranked third in the UK for graduate start-ups based on the estimated turnover and the number of jobs created by graduates companies (HEBCIC 2014/15). Since 2011, it has supported the development of more than 120 companies who in turn employ over 1,000 staff and have a combined turnover of £66.7 million.

The Service helps graduates by providing bespoke one to one mentoring with industry specialists in areas including legal, book keeping, tax, marketing and the provision of free office facilities on campus*. Recent alumna (2016) Kelly Horne is a current service-user who received free start-up support to start her own private clinic. Kelly was a self-employed sports therapist for a number of years before deciding to upgrade her skills, studying MSc Physiotherapy to become a fully qualified physiotherapist. With the help of bespoke sales and marketing mentoring from an industry specialist, Kelly has opened her own clinic Wellness Therapeutics in Northumberland. Speaking of this she said:

“The support from Student and Graduate Enterprise has allowed me to develop my business and I opened up my own private clinic straight after graduation. I appreciate all the time and support from the team and the mentors; it’s a good feeling to know I’m so well supported”

wellnesstherapeutics.co.uk

*Please note, T&Cs apply