Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Economics, government & businessLatest NewsGraduatesRecruitment & retention

Graduates rate skills over qualifications for entrepreneurial success

by Personnel Today 29 Sep 2010
by Personnel Today 29 Sep 2010

University leavers put personal skills ahead of academic success as predictors of entrepreneurial success, according to a new survey.

The research, from small business insurer Hiscox, questioned 1,000 students graduating in 2010/11 and found that only 1% believe that qualifications are the most important factor when thinking about setting up a business. Instead they rate creative thinking (40%), the ability to network (38%) and risk-taking (28%) as the key attributes of successful entrepreneurs.

According to the study, IT and computing students are most likely to become entrepreneurs (38%), followed by business management students (27%). It also showed that those studying core subjects, such as maths (20%) and science (15%), are less likely to set up their own business.

London students are the most likely to run their own company. Four in 10 of them have set up, or have been in the process of setting up, a business while at university. Other cities fostering entrepreneurial students include Hull (36%), Glasgow (32%), Cardiff (22%) and Newcastle (21%).

Respondents named Sir Richard Branson as the most inspirational entrepreneur globally.

John Heaney, SME expert at Hiscox, said: “The research shows an interesting perspective on the business world from the UK’s next generation of entrepreneurs. The students are right to recognise the importance of skills like creativity and networking for business success. Together with the knowledge gained from studying and on-the-job experience, they are invaluable to aspiring entrepreneurs.

“It’s clear that the cities surveyed are full of enterprising students optimistic about their future careers in business, which is great for the future of UK entrepreneurship.”

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Job stress major factor in earlier ‘midlife crises’
next post
National minimum wage rules and rates change on Friday

You may also like

More than £1bn of upskilling loan money has...

26 May 2022

Monkeypox advice for employers: working from home and...

26 May 2022

Davos 2022: Upskilling workers necessary to overcome business...

26 May 2022

Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer...

26 May 2022

Personnel Today Awards 2022: Two weeks left for...

26 May 2022

Davos hears that ‘wages can rise’ without creating...

26 May 2022

Burnout afflicts finance sector despite hybrid working

26 May 2022

Sue Gray findings: Party culture during lockdowns approved...

25 May 2022

Employers lack data to make IR35 worker status...

25 May 2022

Biggest national rail strike threatens summer

25 May 2022
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+