Enterprising graduates taking part in an innovative scheme to set up their business at Birmingham Science Park, Aston will receive a helping hand from Yorkshire Bank next month.

BSEEN (Birmingham Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network), delivered by Aston University, Birmingham University and Bimingham City University, has supported over 400 graduates and students, assisted 90 businesses and has created over 40 new businesses since the scheme started last March to promote entrepreneurship among students and graduates in Greater Birmingham and Solihull.

Now, BSEEN is joining forces with Yorkshire Bank's Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) to run a workshop to offer budding businessmen and women advice on their business plans and accessing finance.

Ten graduates have been invited to the FSC in Temple Row, Birmingham, on Tuesday, July 5 to ensure their business ideas have the right foundations in place to become reality.

Stephen Cronin, managing partner at Yorkshire Bank's FSC in the city, said the workshop had been organised to provide valuable advice on a wide range of subjects to help young businesss owners.

He said: "Many businesses often fall at the first hurdle due to a poorly thought out business plan or entrepreneurs having given no thought to how they will pay for extra members of staff or find the finance to invest in a necessary piece of equipment.

"We have a great deal of experience in helping small businesses get off the ground and the workshop will give information on helping graduates bring their business plans to life and the type of information they will need to collate when visiting a bank to ask for funding. 

"In the currrent economic climate it is vital to be well prepared and to have done your homework when looking for funding and we hope we will be able to provide delegates with the right information to turn their great business idea into a thriving company."

Alison Sharp from BSEEN said the aim of BSEEN is to equip the graduate owners with the right level of skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours so that the fundamentals are in place to start their business smoothly and quickly.

She said its essential that robust businesses are created so that they have the scope to grow and be sustainable.    

"For graduate owners straight out of university, starting your own business can be quite a shock since there is no-one telling you what to do - you set the goals; it's your vision," she said.

"It is important to have the right level of support and the BSEEN programme hugely benefits from private sector input, particularly through mentoring.

"We are grateful to staff from Yorkshire Bank giving up their time to pass on their wealth of expert knowledge. Their guidance will not only develop the owners' confidence but will ensure that each business starts in a much stronger position."