Commenting on the Government’s new StartUP Loans scheme for young entrepreneurs, Phil Smith, the managing director of Business West, the largest business membership organisation in the south west, said: “Every business has to start from somewhere and it is the smaller, growing companies that will be integral to the future of the UK.
“We hope this scheme will help to inspire a whole new cohort of young people with a passion for business to transform their ideas and vision into reality.
"This type of initiative can only be good for the economy and for young people and is step in the right direction.
“If we are serious about giving young people a chance, we need a co-ordinated approach.
"A combination of teaching the right skills equality of opportunity at further and higher education, providing business mentoring and work experience as well as a programme of apprenticeships is needed with proper Government support.”
PUBLICATION: Wiltshire Business - 15 June 2012