Project Title: Cadets in Enterprise Programme
Organisation: X-Forces
Location: South East England
Grant Amount: £10,000
Delivery Period: April 2025 - December 2025
Through CET’s Small Grants Programme,X-Forces Enterprise delivered Cadets in Enterprise, an intensiveenterprise and leadership programme for young people from the Army, Royal Navy,and Royal Air Force Cadet Forces. The programme equips cadets with commercial ability, transferable skills, and confidence by combining workshops, mentoring, and real-world business challenges. It helps young people recognise their potential and see viable futures across employment, entrepreneurship, and further education.
The project delivered the Cadets in Enterprise programme, providing cadets aged 14–18 with enterprise training delivered over approximately 30 hours across a two-to-three-month period. Cadets took part in an orientation session, a full training day, individual and group learning, pitch preparation and rehearsal, and a final pitch to corporate partners, followed by a graduation-style event. Delivery was aligned to the school academic calendar and cadet unit schedules. Cadets worked in teams to develop business ideas, respond to enterprise challenges, and build commercial ability.
· Direct beneficiaries: age 14-18 young people.
· Target group: Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force cadets, many of whom have limited access to professional networks and career guidance.
Commercial Ability was embedded through team enterprise challenges, pitching business ideas to corporate panels, and exposure to professional settings, building communication, teamwork, problem-solving, confidence, and understanding of how organisations and the economy work
· Participants gained commercial awareness (how the economy works, business structures, and financial concepts) alongside leadership and teamwork skills
· Cadets developed presentation and pitching confidence through safe, supported practice with corporate partners
· The programme model requires about 30 hours over 2–3 months, informing realistic planning around GCSE/A-level exam periods
X-Forces Enterprise plans to continue refining delivery of Cadets in Enterprise by aligning future cohorts more closely with the school academic calendar, using learning around scheduling, promotion, and cadet availability to improve participation. The organisation aims to expand delivery to additional cadet units across the country during the academic year, while managing capacity and avoiding exam periods.
