Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial skills in Engineering Industries

1. Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial skills in Engineering Industries By Dr. E. Read Business and Development Manager for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

2. What was I looking for? • Are Entrepreneurial skills SPECIFICALLY looked for by the company? • Does the recruitment process look for entrepreneurial skills without the company acknowledging that this is what they are looking for? • Do the companies feel that graduates are being suitably equipped by Universities for employment?

3. Company 1 – General Information • Their graduate program runs in Munich • Great use of assessment centres • Stated that they try to avoid ‘entrepreneurs’ as they are afraid of extremes (R. Branson) • No specific entrepreneurial qualities looked for (!)

4. Company 1 • Ability to communicate • Analytical • Team Work • Self Sufficient • Presentation of themselves

5. Ability to communicate • Not just about a prepared presentation • On-the-spot presentation • Facilitate technical discussions • Working under stress and time limits • Answer questions in an articulate manner

6. Analytical • Demonstrate good problem solving skills • In a controlled and thoughtful manner • Reviewing the initial problem and isolating it • Thinking of a suitable solution • Implementation of solution in a manner of least risk • Do not want graduates who want to come in and broadcast change then DO nothing

7. Team Work • Graduates must be able to work in a team and have good self knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses • Make the most of a situation and read it with reasonable accuracy • Tackle difficult situations e.g. two leaders in a group • Pick up roles quickly - multifunctional

8. Self Sufficient • Didn’t want people to push for change, wanted them to work in a group yet needed them to be self sufficient • React quickly to situations • Judge thoughtfully • Investigate in detail • Formulate a suitable solution

9. Presentation of themselves • Graduates often feel they need to be loud aggressive in their approach to a company • They often appear scruffy • Rude • As if the company owes them a job – over confident

10. Final Comment • Graduates must learn to conform before they can fly !!

11. Company 2 – General Information • Their graduate program runs in UK • Great use of assessment centres • No specific entrepreneurial qualities looked for (!)

12. Company 2 • On-line assessment • Interview • Presentation • Group Activity • Role Playing • Written Report

13. On-line assessment • NO CONTACT WITH THE COMPANY • Asked about hobbies, skills, examples of team work, leadership (Young Enterprise is specifically asked about) • On-line maths and English test • Up to 40% of applicants rejected at this stage

14. Assessment Centre • Asked to the assessment centre via email – to look at their response on email • Attend the centre for 6-8 hours • Groups of 7-8 • Up to 6 activities • Not felt by the company that they looked for specific Entrepreneurial Characteristics

15. Interview • Classical interview situation • Panel interview – experts in the field of job applied for • Majority of academic abilities tested at this point • Interview in the region of ½ hour (7 ½ hours to go!)

16. Presentation • Not one prepared earlier – on the spot • Provided with white board, flip chart, computer etc • Topic of a technical nature • Reviewing; engineering skills, presentation skills, working under pressure, response to questions and how they lead and facilitate a technical discussion

17. Group Activity (major part of the day) • Divided into groups • Each given a different role in the group • ‘Awarded’ their task • Simulation changes – each person receives different information – some sensible some ‘red herrings’

18. What is being looked for? • How the group works together? • Can they apply academic knowledge to a real life situation? • Do they understand human nature? • Can they discover others strengths and weaknesses? • Are they strong enough to allow their opinion to be heard?

19. Role Playing • Individual basis • Graduate asked to role play a difficult situation (e.g. Investigating an allegation of sexual harassment or racism) • Looking at how the graduates react physically and verbally under pressure and how they may defend their team • Tentative review of graduates business ethics

20. Written Report • 2 page HAND WRITTEN report • Showing their observations and reflections on the day • It is expected to be of a business report standard and use business language • It gives the graduates an opportunity to review mistakes and suggest what they would do differently

21. Final Comments • Graduates try to play the system • Graduate presentation raised again • Graduates often had not looked at the website of the company • University is undisciplined and as such so are the graduates

22. Company 2 - Summary

23. Company 2 – Summary (2) ‘Business Manners’

24. Motivation1 Abilities & Skills Development2 Ideas3 Resources4 Strategy5 Planning & Operations6 A.Idea Triggers to start-up Idea generation Gap in the market Resources Emerging strategy development Idea generation techniques B.Proven Idea Drivers Self knowledge Feasability study Market information Market segmentation Techniques C.Planning & Development Personal motivation Planning skills Market analysis Professional expectations Strategy development Business plan D.Ready to Start-Up  Personal needs Negotiation Communication strategy Utilising Professional resources Entrepreneurial Marketing Practicalities

25. Motivation1 Abilities & Skills Development2 Ideas3 Resources4 Strategy5 Planning & Operations6 A.Idea 1. Reflect upon risk 1. Recognise a diverse range of people  1. Analyse of ideas 2. Appreciate the need to manage people 1. Commercial awareness 1. Commercial awareness 2. Use of business language   1. Critical use of creative thinking 2. Analysis of ideas B.Proven Idea 1. Recognise driving factors to change 1. Develop an appreciation of ones self 1. Rational method to evaluate a problem / idea / solution IPR 1. Appreciate the role of market segmentation  1. Use of questionnaires and research data C.Planning & Development 1. Analyse and understand people 1. Identify the skills required to complete a task 2. Recognise Individuals strengths and weaknesses 1. Conduct a PEST and SWOT analysis 1. Appreciate the need to manage external and internal relationships 1. Recognise the importance of a focused strategy for a business 2. Identify factors for sustainable growth 1. To write a detailed plan of action D.Ready to Start-Up  1. What motivates others 1. Recognise commercial transactions as requiring mutual benefit 2. Draw in personal strengths 1. Ability to communicate in complex and stressful situations 1. What is required to form a good team 1. Develop marketing strategies 1. Source finance 2. Determine financial requirements

26. Company 2 - Summary

27. Company 2 – Summary (2)

28. Company 1 Summary

29. Conclusions • Often big organisations openly state that they do not want ‘Entrepreneurs’. • When reviewing their graduate recruitment programs a direct correlation between a company’s requirements of the graduate skills and the learning outcomes of entrepreneurial teaching can be seen. • Companies, by the process of graduate recruitment are looking for graduates that will bring to their companies an entrepreneurial element in a controlled manner – they are looking for Intrapreneurs – those who have some entrepreneurial attributes but prefer the ‘safety’ of secure employment – or Graduates that are learning to conform before they can fly !!