Taste of being boss

Nov 19 2008 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

A STUDENT from Hartlepool was able to put his business skills to the test recently as he spent a day running the cafe in one of the region’s top architectural practices.

Dean Jeffries, 18, of Catcote Business and Enterprise College in Hartlepool was boss of the mini enterprise during a day’s work experience at _space group.

After impressing _space’s chief executive Rob Charlton during a programme with Young Enterprise North East, Dean was invited back to see how he would cope with running a real business for the day.

Dean took responsibility for the _space employees’ internal cafe where he learned how to prepare food, as well as managing the finances and restocking for the hungry lunchtime rush.

At the beginning of the year Dean was involved in the ‘_space to think differently’ programme, where he joined his fellow students in developing and marketing their own business idea.

Rob Charlton mentored the students as part of the initiative.

Rob said: “I met Dean on several occasions through our YENE programme and I was so impressed with his ambition and business talent that I invited him to take over the _spacebar cafe for a day to give him first-hand experience of a real working environment and to put his business skills to the test.

“Dean is an intelligent young man, he ran the _space bar incredibly well, all the customers were very impressed with his service and thought his sandwiches were first class.

“As part of our commitment to local young people I have also invited several other students to visit _space to provide them with valid work experience and an insight into a real working environment.”

Dean said: “I really enjoyed my day running the _spacebar and I would definitely like to do it again. I learned new skills such as food preparation, managing money and customer service. I have found the _space to think differently programme extremely beneficial and Rob has been a great mentor.”