Young Chamber students up to speed with North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry

4:05pm Friday 29th May 2009

By Richard Garfield

YOUNG people with an enterprising mindset, positive attitude and an interest in business are to hold a speed networking event at Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College.

The event, which is being organised by the Basingstoke school’s Young Chamber on June 25, was announced at a North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NHCCI) networking meeting held at Dummer Golf Club.

Tom Rampton, president of the school’s Young Chamber Council, told members of NHCCI that it is hoped that around 25 to 30 business people will be able to attend the event at the school.

The Year 7 student said business people participating in the event will be visited by two or three 11 to 12-year-olds who will ask questions about each company for three minutes before moving on to the next person.

David Fawcett, who is Hampshire communications manager for Amey, the company responsible for the county’s highway maintenance, has been involved with Young Chamber since the scheme was first set up on the Isle of Wight around five years ago.

He spoke of its success, explained that it is for all young people and that it aims to get them ready for the world of work.

David said: “They run Young Chamber and they decide what events they want to put on, bringing the world of work and enterprise into their world – bringing them closer to business.”

He added it is hoped the school’s Young Chamber – the first in north Hampshire – will be putting on a range of events, including Apprentice and Dragons Den- style events as well as visits to local businesses, which will be facilitated through NHCCI.

Describing the speed networking event as a brilliant concept, David told NHCCI members: “I think it’s going to be a really exciting first event.

“The hope is that they will learn something about business that they hadn’t thought about before, and maybe meeting with you will set them off on a different career path than they had thought about originally.

“What’s really exciting is that young people will meet and learn from business people, and I believe that business people will learn an awful lot about young people, bringing you closer to the education process and that you will see the ability and the strengths our young people have.

“Sometimes people forget about how clever and brilliant the young people we have in this country are.”

To find out more about the Young Chamber scheme, contact NHCCI by calling 01256 352275.