Rod Aldridge

Rod Aldridge is an entrepreneur with over 40 years experience of working in the public and private sectors.

He is the founder of the Capita Group retiring in July 2006 as Chairman. Subsequently he established The Aldridge Foundation to continue his work on public service reform and to focus on his charitable activities.

• Educational underachievement & Social Exclusion
• Public Service Reform Partnership and Development
• Community Engagement

Entrepreneurship

Rod's chosen specialism for the Darwen Aldridge Community Academy and proposed Falmer Academy is entrepreneurship.  He has chosen entrepreneurship as a specialism because it describes a state of mind which strives to solve problems rather than accept defeat. An entrepreneur is determined to succeed, is not afraid of failing, remains positive throughout and will ultimately win through. This will provide a wider and more varied educational offer and, as part of a thus enhanced curriculum, students will be able to experience running mock businesses and develop the skills that are necessary to achieve success.  They will meet successful business people and have the opportunity to gain work experience.

The specialism also includes social entrepreneurship through which an individual will examine what it means to be a part of a community and to work with partners to develop that community. It will also focus on understanding about the rights an individual has in society and also the obligations of citizenship that go with these rights.

The notion of entrepreneurship describes self-starting, highly motivated and confident learners who make full use of every opportunity for personal and community success.

All students will have an entitlement to participate in entrepreneurial related activity both within and beyond the formal curriculum, including participation in community voluntary work and involvement in formal programmes to support personal and social development. A number of ideas for developing an exciting offer include:

• "incubator units" for enterprise (where young people will learn about merchandising, management, buying, selling, and promotion by starting and running small businesses);
• access to successful entrepreneurs from all sectors as role models for local learners;
• developing accreditation for entrepreneurship;
• preparation for progression to higher or further education; and
• high level communication and marketing skills.

It is intended that all students will benefit from the specialism which will help them understand their responsibilities, learn about the work-place, understand economics, encourage problem solving and to view themselves as achievers.

The students will also be encouraged through social responsibility classes to participate in community based activities with the aim of helping them to be proud of their town, environment and community.

Through entrepreneurship, the Academy will have a dual focus on promoting business enterprise and social enterprise activity. It is intended that through the specialism the Academy will instil in young people a determination to succeed, to achieve high expectations and to become more responsible for the world within which they are growing up.

Given the expertise on offer for this project it is envisaged that ICT will be used to enable entrepreneurial activity by supporting the development of an enterprise culture.  It will be the only Academy to have this specialism.