Enterprising Careers

Hands holding grain

Interested in making your passion more than your pastime? Want to work, but on your own terms? Keen to build a career around your beliefs, as well as your needs? 

The enterprise provision of the Careers & Employability Service is here to provide guidance, support and opportunities for students and graduates interested in freelancing and entrepreneurship.

We offer:

  • one-to-one triaging to help you find the right resources
  • a diverse programme of events encouraging entrepreneurship
  • initiatives for you to get your ideas out into the world

See below for more information.

Contact us here: enterprise@aber.ac.uk 

One-to-one support

  • The Enterprise team can offer one-to-one support via email, on Teams or in-person to provide you with useful next steps and key contacts going forward
  • If you are under 25, we can put you in contact with Big Ideas Wales, a Welsh Government initiative that supports young entrepreneurs
  • No matter your age, we can facilitate your involvement in the Business Wales Mentoring Programme 

Events programmes

 

Making Art Work

Interested in working for yourself and making art, but unsure or anxious about how to go about it? The latest session in the Making Art Work freelancer series is for you. Mindset coach Annie Bell will be discussing:  

  • making time to meet deadlines for clients and keep time to make art for yourself 
  • stopping work from taking over your life  
  • getting motivated to meet deadlines and produce high quality work   

When: 4-6pm

February 18th

 

 

Where: Hugh Owen C4

 

Enterprise and Education, with Helen Whiteland (Big Science Project)

Join us in welcoming back alumni, scientist and educator, Helen Whiteland as she discusses her journey from academic to entrepreneur, in conversation with Careers & Employability Service’s Alex Hubbard. After completing a PhD at Swansea University in 2012, Helen took on a number of academic roles, building experience writing grants and undertaking research as a research officer and post-doctoral research assistant. In 2019, Helen founded the Big Science Project, to help primary school children in rural Wales engage more with educational science experiments, and birth lifelong interests, perhaps even passions, for science. Do come along, especially if you’re interested in:  

  • A career in education  
  • A career in academia or research  
  • Starting your own business  

 

When: 2-3pm

February 25th

 

 

Where: Ed Llwyd 1.16

 

Financing your Business or Social Enterprise

Come and find out about different funding streams for your Freelance career, Business or Social Enterprise–with information from Development Bank Wales, Big Ideas Wales, Purple shoots and The King's Trust.

Open to students/staff & others.

When: 12:10-13:00

Wednesday 18th March

Where: on-line

 

Research your Market & Target Audience

Come and learn how to effectively research your market, for your business or social enterprise - with Big Ideas Wales Role Model and Business Adviser. 

Open to students/staff & others.

When: 12:10-13:00

Wednesday 25th March

Where: on-line

 

Ideas Generation/Create your own job

This webinar with Katie Hayward from Felin Honey Bees & Big Ideas Wales business adviser, will look at self-employment and freelancing as alternative career paths to working in an established organisation – including details of how Aber Uni supports entrepreneurial students and graduates.

This workshop is a must for you if want to start a business or social enterprise but don’t yet have that 'Great Idea'. 

Open to students/staff & others.

When: 12:10-13:00

Wednesday 29th April

Where: on-line

 

Work for Yourself Week - 3-5th June

Details coming soon!...

email: enterprise@aber.ac.uk

Competitions and initiatives

2026 Pan Wales Hackathon, 04/03/26, 2pm to 7pm, InterPol Main hall

A day-long event where teams of students come up with an idea to tackle a complex global problem, featuring mentoring and prizes - sign up and find out more details here!

Annual student entrepreneurial awards

Each summer, the university offers a series of awards for students looking to become self-employed and start their own businesses. Stay tuned for more details, soon!

Enactus UK

Each year, Enactus runs a global competition to find the leaders of tomorrow - find out more here and get in touch with alh103@aber.ac.uk if you'd like to get involved.

  • Are you an Aber student? Do you want to make a real impact and help transform communities through meaningful social action? 
  • Join us for the first Enactus Aberystwyth Society meeting on February 4th at 2:00 PM in Pantycelyn – Ystafell Astudio / Study Room 1.
  • Come discover what Enactus is all about — learn how you can be part of a team that creates innovative, sustainable solutions for social change.
  • Free pizza included! Don’t miss your chance to get involved from the very start.

 

Resources