Entrepreneurship & Enterprise

Entrepreneurship and enterprise skills focus on how you identify opportunities, innovate solutions, and create value in various contexts.

Entrepreneurship skills involve developing new ideas, taking calculated risks, and turning concepts into reality. Enterprise skills encompass the broader abilities needed to drive change, manage resources, and work effectively in dynamic environments.

You can see a full list of the skills included in this category at the bottom of this page.

While commonly associated with starting and running businesses, these skills are valuable for anyone in any career path. They enhance your ability to spot opportunities, solve problems creatively, adapt to change, and contribute meaningfully to a team. By helping you navigate uncertainty, these skills are also beneficial to your ability to thrive in new situations whether you're joining a new society, giving presentation or managing a project.

You can use the Skills Discovery Tool to evaluate your skills in this area.

Easy ways to get started

These skills can be developed through everyday activities and mindset shifts. You could try:

• Identifying small problems around you and brainstorming creative solutions - you could suggest better ways to organise society events, or find more efficient study methods.
• Taking initiative - if you're a member of a society or committee, you could volunteer to lead specific tasks or propose new ways to engage students with your society.
• Embracing small risks such as trying a new activity, making a unique argument in a supervision, or taking on a responsibility you haven't done before.

Skills development opportunities

If you're looking to drive your skills in this area further, here are some suggestions:

• Take on project management roles in societies or committees to develop skills in leading teams, planning, and implementing changes. This could range from planning your College's May Ball to organising a European theatre tour to managing the student radio station, CamFM.
• Check out the University's entrepreneurship community IE Cambridge for events, competitions, groups and support on your entrepreneurial journey
• Engage with College entrepreneurial programs - many Colleges offer competitions and training programs such as Lucy Enterprise, Trinity Hall Entrepreneurs Network (THEN), and Kings Entrepreneurship Lab. Some of them are open to students across the university.
• Take a look at the Discovering Entrepreneurship course on the UIS Training website.
• Access workshops, mentoring and training through societies and enterprise hubs such as Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club, The Entrepreneurship Centre at Judge Business School and i-Teams.
• Explore the Careers Service's guide to entrepreneurship in Cambridge and entrepreneurship page

Check out the activities pages for more ideas on how to get involved and develop your skills in this area.