The 2006 RSA Flying Start Programme

The RSA and the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) joined forces in 2006 to offer the first national investment readiness programme for UK university graduates of design and creative arts courses.

Using the NCGE's experience of running similar programmes for general business graduates, the RSA Flying Start Programme, which took place between the 10-12 July 2006, was the first intensive three-day residential programme specifically for recent graduates from UK design and related creative industry degree courses.

The programme is designed to provide graduates with knowledge of the fundamentals of new business venture planning and start-up and to assist them in the creation of mentor and expert networks: everything graduates need to start a creative industries business. In a climate where the UK's creative sector has consistently grown more than twice as fast as the economy as a whole in recent years - now accounting for 8% of the UK's economy - this programme has particular resonance.

From over 100 applications, 59 graduates representing a broad spectrum of design disciplines were selected for the programme in Manchester, held at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The programme was made up of a series of lectures, workshops and practical exercises, participants working in a variety of large and small groups and individually.

Each participant was partnered with a mentor with whom they had one to one sessions during the three days and from whom they will receive further mentoring over the coming year.

There were a number of different elements in the programme, including: finance, marketing, project planning, communication.

Networking formed an important and on-going element part of the three days with emphasis on how this is integral to business life and as such is an important skill to acquire and develop. There were many opportunities during the programme for participants to network with fellow graduate entrepreneurs, with the delivery team and with guests at dinners held on two of the nights.

A follow up for the participants, took place in January 2007, to assess their progress.

The RSA Flying Start 2007 programme will take place at Manchester Metropolitan University - Monday 16-Wednesday 18 July 2007.