Carol's a class act in city's classrooms
TIMES of recession and public spending cutbacks may not appear the most promising of environments to begin a new business.
However, as Carol Langston of Create Highland points out, there are always opportunities for business - even in recession.
And, after all, if nobody else is likely to give you
a job, perhaps the best option is to create one for yourself.
That is the goal of Create, the Highland centre
for enterprise and innovation, which aims to provide students with the skills enabling them to run
a business of their own.
"I think a recession is the right time for entrepreneurship to flourish," Carol said.
"It is a challenge, and there has got to be a bit
of push and pull, but we are hopeful that some successful ideas will come forward."
Create was established at Inverness College
in August 2009 and is now heading into its
second three-year phase, but the idea came
from Carol initially.
"I wanted to get more real business into
he classroom," she explained.
Originally from Glasgow, but now resident
on the Black Isle, Carol spent much of her early working life in banking and completed her first degree over five years at night school in London.
After working for the civil service for a while, she moved to the Highlands in 1999, where she decided to complement her new location with a new job and joined the teaching staff at Inverness College in 2001.
"I’d done a degree in business and a post graduate degree, so it ticked all the boxes. I also loved business and missed being part
of a team."
Create, supported by the college and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and backed by EU funding, is designed to provide an environment where students can develop their entrepreneurial skills, inspired by the example of already successful north business people.
Through Create, the college has its own Young Entrepreneurs Club and runs the UHI Business Ideas Competition which last year had 94 entries. This year Carol is confident that number will break through the 100 barrier.
"We get ideas in every sector, including a lot that reflect the really rich culture of the Highlands," Carol said.
"There are exciting proposals for everything from food and drink to renewables and materials."
And some of those entries will not just remain as "ideas". Carol estimates around a quarter of the entries will take their business ideas to the next stage, working with organisations such as the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust or Business Gateway.
As well as the competition, part
of Create’s mission to impress on its students the need to be creative rather than reactive, the Create team also believe strongly in the power of personal inspiration from north "business champions" who come in to speak to students.
So far 13 of these champions have visited the college to address over 400 students. Their talks are also recorded on video to enable them
to reach even more students
in the future.
"We are always looking
for businesses or business champions with a good story that will inspire our students," Carol said.
"For example, we are working with Ness Soaps
to suggest new designs for
their products. That is great
for students and lifts the businesses, too."
Create has also introduced three entrepreneurs in residence, each dealing
with different areas of
the college curriculum.
Architect and environmentalist Neil Sutherland, who is an architectural advisor to a number of companies within the Highland timber and construction sector, is the entrepreneur for construction and forestry; Carol MacRae, the owner and founder of Ankerville Nurseries in Easter Ross, is the entrepreneur for cultural and social studies and experienced accountant Iain Scott is the entrepreneur for business and technology.
"I would like to have more women coming forward as role models, though," she added.
"That’s why I joined the Highland Business Women’s Club. It’s a very supportive network
and there are a lot of inspirational women there."
Carol points out that though many of the students might not want to start a business of their own,
at least at the moment, the entrepreneurial skills they learn, along with the creative thinking they are encouraged to pursue, will serve them well in any future career.
"The message is that you have got to be more enterprising and enjoy the world that’s waiting for you out there," Carol said.
"Only a small percentage of our students will go on to start businesses, but there’s a huge amount
of talent in the college that will go on to be the leaders of businesses in the Highlands in the
future.
"It’s such a privilege to be part of this because the students are so excited about the possibilities."
Carol’s work with Create has also been recognised by the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE) which, in 2010, awarded her the title of SIE Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year for "her outstanding contributions inside and outside of the classroom."
"That was nice for me and for Create," Carol said.
"It gives us that academic credibility that justifies what we are doing here. Personally speaking, it’s nice to be recognised by your fellow teachers. It allows us to work on more of a national stage."
With changes afoot at the college, both with the confirmation of university status for the UHI and plans well advanced for the new Beechwood campus, it is a particularly positive period for
the college and the Create team. Carol, for one,
is looking forward to the move out of Create’s current home in the former Inverness Royal Academy building at Midmills.
"The new campus will bring together research
and enterprise and we are delighted to be a key
part of that," she said.
There are pros and cons to starting a business
in the Highlands she acknowledges. However, for all the challenges such as distance and lack of infrastructure, there are advantages, such as a strong network of organisations to help support the proto entrepreneur.
"They are sure to find a way to succeed, particularly using new tools such as e-business," Carol said. "The entrepreneurial spirit is so strong up here.Not a lot keeps the Highlanders down, does it?"
