MOONPIG founder and former Dragon Nick Jenkins has opened a new business school in Wiltshire – aimed at producing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Nick cut the ribbon at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s new Wiltshire Business School, at Georgian Grade II listed Lackham House, which is part of a £2.2 million development at the campus.

“I’m very impressed with the facilities here and I think it’s fantastic that it is in Wiltshire,” he said. “I don’t know how many other counties have something like this, but it’s great for local business and now I want to be employing people who have had the kind of training on offer here.”

Principal and CEO, Iain Hatt, said Wiltshire Business School will teach commercial skills in a setting that looks and feels like 21st century offices.

“We’ve created high quality training facilities that reflect businesses today, so students can learn in a modern business environment,” he said.

“We will deliver the core curriculum requirements to our students in terms of the technical skills they need but alongside that we’ll develop the habits and behaviours that will prepare them for work.”

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Mr Hatt said the business school is a response to the introduction of T Levels, a new qualification designed with employers that combines learning at the college with up to 315 hours of real-world experience in industry, as well as to the digital skills gap identified in the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Skills Plan.

Before embarking on the project the college visited other business schools and Wiltshire companies to ensure the set-up at Lackham is authentic.

As well as traditional classrooms there are a meeting rooms fitted with wireless digital screens, laptop docking stations and cutting edge video conferencing equipment. Breakout areas with collaborative desk set-ups and work pods resemble co-working spaces. There is even an imposing oak-panelled boardroom in what was once the house’s billiard room.

Students use their ID cards to gain access to the school building and log into the IT system to be allocated a laptop from a charging station. They then have to return it at the end of the day to be recharged. Because they use hot desks they have to leave their workstation tidy for the next user.

“We are teaching students the behaviours and sense of responsibility they’ll need in the real world of business and embedding that into lessons,” Mr Hatt said.

Among the digital skills being taught are setting up video conferencing meetings and training courses, running remote meetings and one-to-ones and even managing a digital reception area.

“The students might have used online learning before but they’ve been on the receiving end of it,” said Mr Hatt.

“We want to give them the opportunity to set up online meetings and webinars, design remote training sessions and then take those traits and skills to the workplace.”

At present students are studying T Level Business: Management and Administration at the business school but Mr Hatt said he expects the number of students to grow rapidly over the next two years as other courses move there.

“Over time, we will expand this provision from Level 3 right through to undergraduate qualification,” he said.
After being shown around the business school by students Mr Jenkins said: “The facilities here and the students are excellent. The college is teaching all of those generic business skills that will be applicable to every job they ever have.

“And if they arrive for a job interview with those skills already, they’re going to be streets ahead of the candidates that have to be taught them. As an employer, it’s music to my ears when people turn up and they already have those basic skills.”

Mr Hatt said the college plans to open up the school to businesses for part-time courses, including HR, accountancy and leadership.

“There will be a stream of professional qualifications for individuals already working who want to upskill and progress,” he said. “It could be someone in any industry who needs additional skills – and that is attractive employers.”

For more information about business courses at Wiltshire Business School, visit www.wiltshire.ac.uk.