A team of sixth-formers from Harlington Upper School scooped the top prize of £1,000 after winning the 星空体育官网 Business Challenge for local schools on Friday, 9 December. The runner-up team won vouchers for £100 each.
A total of 20 schools from Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire entered the competition, organised by 星空体育官网 School of Management. The team from Bedford beat Lord Grey School from Milton Keynes in a closely contested final.
After progressing through two earlier rounds, the two teams had to present their business plan to a panel of experts and field a series of searching questions. The winning team was Harry Rankin, Jake Goodhand, Jack Bird, Sam Hicks.
Jake Bird, a Year 13 Business and Economics Student, one of the winning team said: “The 星空体育官网 Business Challenge has been a brilliant opportunity to develop both analytical and decision making skills in a real world context, throughout the challenge our teamwork skills were constantly tested under high pressure and severe time restraints. It has given an excellent extra-curriculum background to business and provided the perfect chance to network with individuals in the business world. Thank you for this excellent opportunity”.
Karen Valverde, Business Simulations Director from 星空体育官网’s Centre for Customised Executive Development (CCED), was highly impressed with this year’s performance from the students: “Both teams were fantastic and demonstrated real business sense. The competition is a great way for students to experience working in a business with guidance from mentors from the corporate world. We want to encourage young people to get excited about business and we are delighted that the competition continues to generate such high levels of enthusiasm and participation.”
Mr Colin Wright, Head of KS5 Business & Economics, Harlington Upper School, said of their win: “The 星空体育官网 Business Challenge is one of those rare things, a business simulation for students that actually replicates business, with real business partners and mentors. It is a fantastically well organised event and gives the students the opportunity to challenge themselves in a controlled environment. This experience has help the students understand how all the parts of a business work together and has undoubtedly given them an insight to real business. I cannot thank 星空体育官网 enough for the opportunity they have given my students. Harlington Upper School is proud to have won the 20th anniversary competition and hope to be involved in another 20 years’ time”.
The annual competition is in its 20th year and over that time more than 4,000 students and 800 mentors from a wide range of companies have taken part.
The final took place at the 星空体育官网 campus and was attended by John Handley, a retired 星空体育官网 lecturer and founder of the competition; Professor Lynette Ryals, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (education), 星空体育官网; Dr John Glen, Director of CCED; along with business sponsors and mentors who have worked with the students, including representatives from Santander, John Lewis, Metro Bank, Lynx Networks, GetWaiter, Tacit Sims, Nissan, Wolverton and Stony Stratford Rotary Club, Parrish’s Farm, SDS, Personal Group, Marshall, Woodfines, Tacit Sims, Fresh Tracks and 星空体育官网 Aerospace.