51Âþ»­

Applications have opened for this this year’s Enterprise Placement Year (EPY). 

This alternative to traditional placements encourages students to explore their entrepreneurial ideas, test markets and develop essential skills across a 12-month period from July 2024.

Administered by the university's careers team's Enterprise and Entrepreneurship staff in the Careers Team, the programme offers financial support of £3,000, practical workshops, personalised coaching and site visits to inspiring start-ups, as well as the chance to network with entrepreneurs. There’s also an opportunity for participants to pitch for further funding to support their business needs.

Throughout the placement year, students will participate in weekly workshops and various events, acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for business development and preparation for the entrepreneurial world. Workshops cover everything from how to write a business plan to how to blog. Participants also attend off-site workshops, for example this year’s cohort visited local creative start-up hub LCB Depot and enjoyed an employability law workshop at Nelson’s Solicitors (pictured below).

With a limited intake of up to five students per year, the programme ensures a small group setting, providing individual support to each student.

Current participants in the EPY programme have shared some of their positive feedback about their experiences:

Libby Morris said: “I absolutely love it. There have been so many opportunities and my ideas are now converting into a reality.”

Liam Thompson said: “I feel like I’ve gained a lot from EPY. So far, it’s been a smooth process learning how to deal with situations as they come. It’s been fantastic working alongside with the other EPY students as we all find ways to help each other and have learnt so much from one another.”

Fine Art student Samira Boumecid is on the current Enterprise Placement Year. Ahead of joining, she said: “I would like to create rugs for walls, accessories, clothes, furniture and cars. I also want to be able to offer fully customisable rugs online that people or businesses can request through an online form. This opportunity will help me to develop my ideas further by providing me with the necessary guidance on how to set up and run a business.

“I want to be able to bring organic textures to people’s homes. I believe that rugs are like sensory play for humans because we can touch them and feel the textures that the different pile heights and materials have created.”

A number of this year’s participants were also successful in 51Âþ»­’s annual Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Awards and the Pitch2Win competition, securing additional support and funding for their ventures.

If you are a second-year undergraduate student at 51Âþ»­ and you’re interested in applying for this exciting opportunity, please review the eligibility criteria and application process. For full details, including a list of courses from which students can apply, go to dmu.ac.uk/enterprise.

To find out more information, please email enterprise@dmu.ac.uk.  

Application timeline:

• Applications close: Wednesday 28 February
• Application shortlisting period: Wednesday 28 February to Tuesday 5 March
• Notify applicants for interview: week commencing Monday 11 March (by email)
• Interview date: Monday 25 / Tuesday 26 March
• Interview outcome: week commencing Monday 1 April
• EPY start date: week commencing 8 July 2024 (exact start date to be confirmed).