THE Essex branch of the Institute of Directors has held its eighth annual Aspirations in Business event to encourage 16- to 19-year-olds to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.

This year’s event, held at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, drew 100 students from schools and colleges including Colchester Institute, Chelmer Valley High, Sandon and Chelmsford College.

The event was sponsored by Sound Financial Planning and included a speaking slot from director and co-founder Paul Spires.

The day also included contributions from a number of other guest speakers, including Paul Finch, IoD Essex Chairman, Paul Spires, director at Sound Financial Planning, Andy Howie, founder of Shaken Udder Ltd, Dominic King, senior Microsoft dynamics consultant at ERP Associates, and Baiju Solank, director at Performance Coaching & Training Ltd.

The students also took part in two enterprise activities, Body Language, led by Damien Culhane, managing director of Perceptions Coaching, and Elevator Pitch, led by Paul Rolison, managing director at Yellowspring plc.

Other business leaders gave up their time to host tables at the event including Alex Holliman, owner of Climbing Trees, Nichola Cain, managing director at Voice Communications, Mark Yates of Essex County Council, Andy Hall, director at Sound Financial Planning, and Damon Langlois, director at Green Light Print Solutions.

Paul Finch, chairman of Essex IoD, said: “We are delighted that the annual IoD Aspirations event continues to be such a success. Nurturing young, entrepreneurial talent is so important and we had a great turnout this year once again.

“It was particularly good to hear from Dominic King and Ellen Powles who previously attended Aspirations as students over the past few years and had especially insightful input to share with all those in attendance.”