We now have another resource for use by all schools in the Trust in addition to the Enterprise Centre and the Teaching and Learning Development Centre.  This is the Ashington Business and Enterprise Centre which we have established in partnership with Northumberland College.  Based at the College, the Centre was the result of a successful bid to the Wansbeck Enterprise Education Network.

Learners who access the ABEC Centre will develop commercially focused skills that can be utilised in the workplace after the students’ time in formal education.  At the heart of ABEC’s Enterprise ethos is the centre’s very own mini print business that will enable learners to design and manufacture a range of creative products including canvas wrap prints, mugs, t-shirts and other associated printwork. 

ABEC has already released the entrepreneurial potential of four students from Ashington High School who are looking to launch their own Creative Print and Multi Media business in April 2011.  The students have been conducting extensive market research and working on their company structure and hope to be trading at the start of the new financial year.  ‘AL+’ not only aims to reinvest profits back into the business in order to continue to offer ‘great products at great prices’, but also train younger pupils in how to use the print equipment housed at ABEC.