Business brains are moulded; Training & Education Scores of people complete entrepreneurial training course.

Byline: By NICK WHITTEN Industrial Reporter

MORE than 140 would-be Alan Sugars from the North East have graduated from a fast-track entrepreneurial training course.

Managed by enterprise agency Entrust, the New Entrepreneur Scholarship Programme (NES) is a four-month business training and development scheme for people wishing to start up their own business.

NES offers expert training in business planning, market research, legal issues and key financial aspects including tax, VAT and book-keeping.

Celebrating his graduation at an awards ceremony at Ramside Hall, Durham, Gary Lintern from Country Durham said: "Graduating from the NES Programme was a great moment for me. I came to NES with a vague idea, and left with a fully-formed business. What more could you wish for?"

Gary joined the NES programme as a filmmaker and through the guidance of the programme has now launched Deepscript, a company specialising in documentary production and support services for people wanting to learn how to write film scripts.

In his role of guest speaker at the awards, North East business leader and entrepreneur Paul Callaghan, chairman of the Sun-derland-based technology group Leighton, congratulated the graduates.

He talked about his own experience as an entrepreneur and the key role they have in shaping the future prosperity of the region.

Paul said: "We have a phenomenal amount of talent in the North East and Entrust, together with its partners, is providing an important launchpad for the next generation of business leaders and employers."

To date, the scheme has helped more than 500 would-be entrepreneurs in the North East to start their own companies.

It offers individuals practical business-training, advice and ongoing mentoring support in the early years, combined with up to pounds 1,500 in funding to help them get started.

Tony Sarginson, North East NES chairman, said: "Starting your own business isn't easy and once an individual decides to take the plunge, the plethora of issues people face, whether it's drafting a business plan or accessing funding, can be off-putting.

"The NES programme tackles these issues. It aims to give budding entrepreneurs from the North East the opportunity to turn their business dreams into reality by equipping them with the skills, tools and ongoing support they need to succeed.

"I'd like to congratulate each of the graduates on completing the programme and wish them every success."

NES specifically aims to encourage successful entrepreneurial activity in deprived wards around the country toeratio improve the quality of management in small businesses, improve business survival rates and provide business role models. The programme operates on a part-time basis. To qualify candidates have to have a strong business idea, but not yet be trading.

They must be over 18 (other restrictions apply), ambitious and currently working or unemployed, but not in full-time education.

NES is a National Federation of Enterprise Agencies Programme, funded by the National Learning and Skills Council and managed in the North East by Entrust in association with its delivery partners: Chester-le-Street and City of Durham Enterprise Agency, the North East Business & Innovation Centre, the Universities of Teesside, Northumbria, Sunderland and Durham and the Prince's Trust, funded by One NorthEast. To find out more about Entrust or the New Entrepreneur Scholarship Programme, visit www.entrust.co.uk or call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

SUCCESS- North East NES chairman Tony Sarginson, left, and business leader Paul Callaghan