Charlie Wheeldon Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

Joining Loughborough University’s Enterprise Office in 2017 I provide institute-wide strategic leadership for student and graduate enterprise; designing and delivering a comprehensive eco-system of entrepreneurial support under the banner of Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN). Developments under LEN include the creation of Loughborough Start-Up Fund providing grants of between £500-£5000 for budding entrepreneurs and securing £50,000 through Santander Universities to establish the Start-Up Lab, a co-working and training space for students and their businesses. In November 2018 I joined the Careers Network, moving from the Enterprise Office to Student Support. In addition to student and graduate enterprise I now lead the University’s Employer Engagement team with a focus on large scale campus fairs and events, income generation and the brand new Talent Match service launching this autumn creating Santander funded micro and full internships for Loughborough students and recent graduates.

As part of the senior management function for the Employability and Careers Centre I led a large Central Services team with responsibility for the operational and strategic management of two careers centres in both the Colchester and Southend campuses. I provided strategic leadership and operational management to projects teams delivering university wide flagship services including Essex Startups, a team of 3 colleagues delivering an innovative enterprise programme of training, support, mentoring and funding opportunities for students and graduates. The Big Essex Award team, the University's popular extra-curricular award and a frontline student services team, with colleagues based in Colchester and Southend, providing specialist careers advice and information. Additionally I was responsible for marketing and communication strategies for the Employability and Careers Centre and large scale outreach campaigns like Employability Week.

I managed a new and innovative projects team where I continued to develop the student and graduate enterprise programme and further establish the Essex Startups team by securing funding for a new Enterprise Officer. I also, over the course of 2 years, designed, developed and launched the University's extra-curricular award, The Big Essex Award. A successful flagship project with over 2500 students now participating in the scheme with a full time Award Coordinator.

In this new post I designed and delivered an innovative University wide programme of support for students and graduate entrepreneurs. I recruited local entrepreneurs and industry experts to deliver workshops, provide mentoring and one-to-one coaching. I also established large scale competitions including The Essex Apprentice, designed to develop enterprise skills, and Essex Boot Camp, a two day Dragon's Den style business pitch competition.

As Area Manager for Young Enterprise, the UK's largest business and enterprise charity delivering entrepreneurial programmes in both primary and secondary schools, I had strategic and operational management of the business development team for Essex. Responsibilities included business planning, income/sponsorship generation, budgeting and management of marketing and sales activities. I also developed and piloted an innovative disengagement project for Year 10 students in partnership with Connexions.

I managed a portfolio of schools across Essex, devising and delivering business and enterprise programmes to young people from 5-18 years, as well as recruiting and training business volunteers. I was responsible for marketing and developing business opportunities within target schools and the organisation of large scale award ceremonies, workshops and competitions.