A group of our employability students took a trip to a coffee shop in Worthing town centre recently, where they spoke to the owner, named Usha, about running a business.
They asked Usha what it takes to run a business and what qualities she looks for in her staff. Students asked what her role involves and the skills it requires. Usha explained that her role involves management of staff, administration, serving customers, and other tasks involved in running the café on a day-to-day basis.
They learned that the skills required to do this role include communication, time management, leadership, multi-tasking, critical thinking, and problem solving.
Students gained a lot from the session, with one commenting that they found it 'inspiring' to hear about her business. Another student observed that, 'There are many positives and negatives of running your own business. It is not easy but it is worth it. You will have to pick up the slack of your business when staff are absent.'
Another said, 'It was great to learn so many things about running your own business. It's really motivated me to do the same.'
If you want to find out more about our employability programmes for young people aged 16-24 in West Sussex, please click here.