Business
Aspiring entrepreneurs battled for the title of ‘Champions of Enterprise 2011’ at a Grand Final held at the Hilton Newbury Centre Hotel.
Throughout the autumn, more than 700 local sixth form pupils have taken part in the Dragons Den-style challenge, organised by the Education Business Partnership West Berkshire and sponsored by Greenham Common Trust. Students became corporate investors for the day to determine in which of three real West Berkshire companies to invest an imaginary £100,000.
Environmental Solutions, Oracle Storage Systems and Sheepdrove Organic Farm bravely allowed themselves to be put under the microscope as pupils assessed each business and then made suggestions for possible expansion plans. The young investors then went on to present their findings to a panel of judges who selected a winning team from each school to go through to the final.
‘3 Rs’ from St Bartholomew’s School, ‘Venture Investors’ from The Willink School, ‘Sustainable Investments’ from The Downs School, ‘Kinect’ from Kennet School and ‘Angel Corporation’ from Trinity School took part in the grand final and were judged by Michelle Bailey, from People Essentials, Cliff Culver, from The Hilton, and Peter Heath, from Biz for Schools. The judges had an opportunity to interview the teams and then watch the final presentations in front of an audience of local business people, teachers, headteachers and parents.
The winning team was ‘Sustainable Investments’ from The Downs School, who produced a clear and comprehensive argument for their investment decision in Oracle Storage Systems.
Michelle Bailey said: “It was a privilege to judge the Champions of Enterprise final this year.
“All five teams achieved a fantastic standard and each student ably demonstrated their ‘employability skills’.
“I encourage all businesses to get involved with the EBP so they can also appreciate the talent in our local schools.”
Throughout the autumn, more than 700 local sixth form pupils have taken part in the Dragons Den-style challenge, organised by the Education Business Partnership West Berkshire and sponsored by Greenham Common Trust. Students became corporate investors for the day to determine in which of three real West Berkshire companies to invest an imaginary £100,000.
Environmental Solutions, Oracle Storage Systems and Sheepdrove Organic Farm bravely allowed themselves to be put under the microscope as pupils assessed each business and then made suggestions for possible expansion plans. The young investors then went on to present their findings to a panel of judges who selected a winning team from each school to go through to the final.
‘3 Rs’ from St Bartholomew’s School, ‘Venture Investors’ from The Willink School, ‘Sustainable Investments’ from The Downs School, ‘Kinect’ from Kennet School and ‘Angel Corporation’ from Trinity School took part in the grand final and were judged by Michelle Bailey, from People Essentials, Cliff Culver, from The Hilton, and Peter Heath, from Biz for Schools. The judges had an opportunity to interview the teams and then watch the final presentations in front of an audience of local business people, teachers, headteachers and parents.
The winning team was ‘Sustainable Investments’ from The Downs School, who produced a clear and comprehensive argument for their investment decision in Oracle Storage Systems.
Michelle Bailey said: “It was a privilege to judge the Champions of Enterprise final this year.
“All five teams achieved a fantastic standard and each student ably demonstrated their ‘employability skills’.
“I encourage all businesses to get involved with the EBP so they can also appreciate the talent in our local schools.”
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