Entrepreneurial students from Alleyne’s Academy in Stone will join youngsters from 11 other Staffordshire schools to have their ideas put to the test at a Dragons’ Den style event.
Teams of teenagers from across the county are competing in the 2015/2016 Young Enterprise competition. The young people have formed their own businesses based on ideas as diverse as glow red safety patches to bespoke hampers. Alleyne’s team this year is called ‘Bagged Up’.
[box type=”info” ]Alleyne’s Academy students have a fine record in the competition. In 2014, the ‘Ignite’ team were runners up after making it all the way to the national final in London with their ‘Connect’ mobile phone stand. In 2013, the ‘Equipo’ team from Alleyne’s also made the national final, as did Versaleaf in 2011[/box]
The latest teams’ business plans and product knowledge will be put to the test on Wednesday 18th November at the Michelin offices in Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent.
As well as Alleyne’s Academy, competing schools this year are:
- Thistley Hough and Haywood Academy from Stoke-on-Trent
- Blythe Bridge High, Stafford Grammar School, King Edward VI and Walton High from Stafford borough
- Madeley, Wolstanton High and Newcastle-under-Lyme School from Newcastle borough
- St Dominic’s, Brewood and the Rural Enterprise Academy from Penkridge.
They will be questioned by Dragons Mike Cozens, director of World of Wedgwood, Helen Ainsworth, Mark Higginson, Lisa Rummens, Nicola Nowak and Mike Cole – directors and senior managers from development, finance, legal and HR at Michelin.
[box type=”shadow” align=”aligncenter” ]Sarah da Silva, chair of Young Enterprise Staffordshire, said: “Our Dragons Den is a fantastic opportunity for the teams to gain expert feedback on their fledgling businesses and to practice their presentation skills. It does differ from the TV programme, but in a good way, as our Dragons are there to offer constructive advice which the teams can use to hone their products. Our Dragons are kindly offering their valuable time for free and we are also indebted to Michelin for their support and use of their facilities.”[/box]
The pupils are taking part in Young Enterprise’s flagship Company Programme where pupils work with business executives and build their own trading companies. The Staffordshire finals will be held at World of Wedgwood on 23rd March 2016, with the winners moving on to the regional/national final in May and June.
