Archived press release

Date Published: 12/01/10

The National Enterprise Academy and Aylesbury Vale District Council announce partnership for permanent headquarters.

The National Enterprise Academy (NEA), in partnership with Aylesbury Vale District Council, has today (12 January) announced it will establish its first ever permanent headquarters and learning centre of excellence in Aylesbury town centre. The cutting edge facility will be part of the new Waterside project to be launched in September 2012.

The brainchild of Peter Jones, the NEA is the UK’s first ever educational institution solely dedicated to enterprise and entrepreneurship. It offers young people, aged 16-19, two unique qualifications that expose students to real-life business issues in real-life business environments. The NEA officially opened its doors earlier this year on the site of Amersham and Wycombe College and the new headquarters will play a vital role in the development of the NEA as it looks to enroll 18,000 learners across the UK in the next five years.

As part of the prestigious Waterside project and the redevelopment of Aylesbury town centre, the NEA headquarters will be situated in Exchange Street at the head of the canal basin, close to the new Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Peter Jones, founder of the NEA said:“I am delighted that we are working in partnership with Aylesbury Vale District Council to build our first ever headquarters for the National Enterprise Academy. As a thriving business community, Aylesbury was the natural choice for the location of the NEA headquarters. I hope that the presence of the Academy will help to establish Aylesbury and the South East of England at the forefront of enterprise learning and in doing so contribute to the local economy.”

Cllr John Cartwright, Leader of the Council, added: “Aylesbury Vale has a strong reputation for entrepreneurs so it is very fitting that Aylesbury has been selected for the Academy. As a major housing growth area, it’s vital that we also create opportunities for new jobs so this is a very exciting step forward in helping us to do that.”

The South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) partnered with the NEA in 2008, providing £2.3 million in funding to develop the Academy’s first course, the NEA Pathfinder. As the South East of England is a key driver of the national economy, SEEDA is keen to foster entrepreneurial spirit and recognises the national importance of this project and what it will bring to the region, the entrepreneurial heart of Britain, and the local Buckinghamshire economy.

Pam Alexander, SEEDA Chief Executive, concluded: “The NEA will bring significant economic benefits to the local economy at a crucial time following recent redundancy announcements in Aylesbury. SEEDA is committed to helping young entrepreneurs start up and run successful businesses and applauds the NEA for its successes to date. SEEDA is proud to support the NEA and is confident that the NEA’s work will continue to contribute to the prosperity of the South East."