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The Enterprise Shed: Making Ideas Happen

Everyone is a thinker and a doer. Everyone is entrepreneurial. Turn your ideas into action with this free online course.

26,623 enrolled on this course

Line drawings of the enterprise shed, Newcastle Uni campus and local landmarks.
  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

Are you passionate about something that you’d like to change? Or, have you ever wanted to change something, but didn’t know how to make it happen?

If these questions resonate with you join us on a four-week journey.

Meet other thinkers and doers

On this course, you’ll meet a whole bunch of thinkers and doers; those just starting out, makers, tinkerers and experienced entrepreneurs.

Sharing your ideas with them and other learners will encourage you to have more confidence, to think more, and to do more to create change and solve problems in your world.

“The insight I gained in your course has really altered the way I look at things. I now look for need.” - Alina, a previous learner on the Enterprise Shed.

Together we will explore entrepreneurial mindsets, consider where ideas come from and take steps to switch on your creativity, enabling you to create, develop and share your ideas.

You’ll get the chance to make meaning of the problems you experience, find the confidence to do something with an idea you already have, or address challenges that impact on you or those around you, no matter how big or small.

Where do you have your best ideas?

We all have places where we do our best thinking and doing. A park bench? A run? A workshop? A shed?

In our online shed we recreate that atmosphere, enabling you to unlock and explore your ideas, and make them happen.

You can find out more in Katie Wray’s post for the FutureLearn blog: “Why should you join us in The Enterprise Shed?

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Skip to 0 minutes and 12 seconds We all have a place where we do our best thinking.

Skip to 0 minutes and 20 seconds Are you passionate about something you’d like to change?

Skip to 0 minutes and 26 seconds The Enterprise Shed is not just a course, but a place where you can join others online to think about your world and discuss the improvements and changes needed there. Whether at home, work, or in your community, come and unlock and develop your ideas. Discover opportunities and join a global network of inspiring people to help make your change happen.

Skip to 0 minutes and 53 seconds At Newcastle University enterprise and entrepreneurship are at the heart of what we do, driving the development of world-class graduate skills, fueling life changing ideas that inspire action and build excellence with purpose. In The Enterprise Shed, you’ll draw on this expertise, share networks and meet entrepreneurs whose ideas stemmed from what they found in their world. Be that an engineering problem, a health care issue, wanting to provide education for all, turning a hobby into a job, or becoming a parent. These people, from different backgrounds, with different skills and passions, all share one thing– they had an idea and did something about it. This course provides inspiration for innovation.

Skip to 1 minute and 44 seconds We’ll consider where ideas come from, help you switch on your creativity, and encourage you to think more and do more to solve problems in your world. Curious? Sign up now to join an inspiring community of thinkers and doers in The Enterprise Shed. Make your ideas happen and create change in your world.

What topics will you cover?

  • Share ideas with experienced entrepreneurs and peers
  • Explore entrepreneurial mindsets
  • Engage in peer review of ideas
  • Develop your network through interaction with peers
  • Analyse the behaviour of entrepreneurs and learn to apply to yourself
  • Identify problems, share them with others
  • Create and collaborate on ideas generation
  • Developing solutions together with peers
  • Gain confidence to explore and refine your own ideas
  • Articulate your own ideas more clearly together with their solutions

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Develop strategies for creative thinking
  • Explore problem solving and entrepreneurial development
  • Evaluate ideas using tools and peer feedback
  • Reflect on the behaviours of entrepreneurial thinkers and doers

Who is the course for?

Whether you’re studying, working, retired, or just curious, this course will give you the skills to create change in your world. If you’re looking for a simple solution, want to set up a social enterprise, initiate a community project, start a new business venture, or just to be part of this community, join us in The Enterprise Shed. You don’t need any specific skills or experience - just passion and a willingness to get involved.

Who will you learn with?

I am a Lecturer in Enterprise. I develop enterprise and entrepreneurship in the Science, Agriculture & Engineering Faculty at Newcastle University, UK.

@KatieLWray

Who developed the course?

Newcastle University

A thriving international community of over 20,000 students. The university’s mission as a world-class civic university means it applies its academic excellence to real-world challenges.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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