AN ‘Apprentice’ style challenge in Newton Abbot’s Market Place this Saturday awaits teams on a special training programme.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse team of budding Devon entrepreneurs, inventors, and community focused people have worked online to forge a highly experiential free training programme to help people launch their own business.

Originally a pre-Covid bid to boost Devon’s economy and resilience, a series of lottery-funded workshops were planned for April 2020. The aim of the project is to support local people, particularly the unwaged or low-waged.

But with the onset of Covid in March, this looked to be doomed, as businesses closed, and meeting face-to-face was impossible.

However, the group has decided to get online first and learn key business skills, before moving into phase two – an opportunity to put all the business skills into practice as lockdown opens up again.

The ten-week programme includes learning skills such as how to promote a business, accounting, budgeting and buying. And then delegates will be putting these skills into practice with a market stall in Newton Abbot Market, in the style of ‘The Apprentice’ TV show.

The market stalls will be opening on Saturday, August 8, Newton Abbot Marketplace, from 10am to 2pm.

After their market stall event, and following a socially distanced awards ceremony the new entrepreneurs will get further coaching and then have the option to either continue with the market stall, and/or to forge ahead with their own individual business, armed with all the knowledge and skills they will have learned.

The market stall in Newton Abbot has been donated by Teignbridge Council who are keen to support the initiative. Teignbridge Markets Manager Mike Walsh said: ‘Markets can be an ideal way to start a fledgling business. But there must be many talented people out there who do not realise that, and as a result struggle to market their products.

‘When Jonathan from Talk Action contacted me to inquire about a market stall for their students, I was delighted to offer help and get involved, and saw it as a great opportunity to support and encourage the next generation of market traders.

Some of our traders in the past, who were new to market trading, have now moved onwards into shop premises. This is what markets are all about: testing out your product, gaining more retail experience, meeting customers and knowing what they want.

‘But also there are market traders who are very successful and like the freedom of their business and don’t want to commit themselves to long term leases and rates, who continue for many years on markets.

‘COVID-19 has been devastating for some businesses on the High Street, but with the enthusiasm and commitment of start-ups and training from organisations like Talk Action I am sure we can all bounce back and be as successful as before.’

AN ‘Apprentice’ style challenge in Newton Abbot’s Market Place this Saturday awaits teams on a special training programme.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse team of budding Devon entrepreneurs, inventors, and community focused people have worked online to forge a highly experiential free training programme to help people launch their own business.

Originally a pre-Covid bid to boost Devon’s economy and resilience, a series of lottery-funded workshops were planned for April 2020. The aim of the project is to support local people, particularly the unwaged or low-waged.

But with the onset of Covid in March, this looked to be doomed, as businesses closed, and meeting face-to-face was impossible.

However, the group has decided to get online first and learn key business skills, before moving into phase two – an opportunity to put all the business skills into practice as lockdown opens up again.

The ten-week programme includes learning skills such as how to promote a business, accounting, budgeting and buying. And then delegates will be putting these skills into practice with a market stall in Newton Abbot Market, in the style of ‘The Apprentice’ TV show.

The market stalls will be opening on Saturday, August 8, Newton Abbot Marketplace, from 10am to 2pm.

After their market stall event, and following a socially distanced awards ceremony the new entrepreneurs will get further coaching and then have the option to either continue with the market stall, and/or to forge ahead with their own individual business, armed with all the knowledge and skills they will have learned.

The market stall in Newton Abbot has been donated by Teignbridge Council who are keen to support the initiative. Teignbridge Markets Manager Mike Walsh said: ‘Markets can be an ideal way to start a fledgling business. But there must be many talented people out there who do not realise that, and as a result struggle to market their products.

‘When Jonathan from Talk Action contacted me to inquire about a market stall for their students, I was delighted to offer help and get involved, and saw it as a great opportunity to support and encourage the next generation of market traders.

Some of our traders in the past, who were new to market trading, have now moved onwards into shop premises. This is what markets are all about: testing out your product, gaining more retail experience, meeting customers and knowing what they want.

‘But also there are market traders who are very successful and like the freedom of their business and don’t want to commit themselves to long term leases and rates, who continue for many years on markets.

‘COVID-19 has been devastating for some businesses on the High Street, but with the enthusiasm and commitment of start-ups and training from organisations like Talk Action I am sure we can all bounce back and be as successful as before.’