E-Gym celebrates a top first year

The end of the first year of the highly successful Enterprise Gym was marked in April at a ceremony attended by University rector Lorraine Kelly who presented awards to students who have proved their business potentials.

Launched by the University's Centre for Enterprise Management last year, the E-Gym aims to improve the self-reliance and employability of students by promoting an awareness of business enterprise and helping them to build their entrepreneurial skills.

It has proved to be an instant hit with both students and local businesses. 130 students signed up to the E-Gym in the space of its first few weeks and local businesses including James Keiller Estates, Texol, Insights, Ross & Bonnyman, LI Components, MDM Creative Services and the Royal Bank of Scotland have shown strong support for the project.

Local business support agencies including Business Gateway and PSYBT also gave their assistance to the project.

"We have had a very strong first year and are delighted to cap it with our first annual awards ceremony and dinner," said Ken Edward, of the Centre for Enterprise Management.

"The E-Gym aims to give students the business skills to go with the academic knowledge they have gained at the University. It has been great to see local business get involved to such a large extent and help us meet our objectives, both through helping us with funding and providing the time of staff to help `coach' the students in key business skills."

"This is a project which has real benefits for the University, students and business."

The Enterprise Gym Champion was awarded to Mechanical Engineering graduate David Tonery, who has been actively developing his businesses idea based on the design for a new environmentally friendly component for the internal combustion engine (Oxy-gen Combustion Ltd).