Young entrepreneurs put their business skills to the test
Year nine and ten students from across the UK have begun competing to be crowned the winners of this year’s Coca-Cola Enterprises Real Business Challenge. With more than 750 schools entered, the national competition will see over 70,000 students compete in a series of challenges designed to test and build their business acumen and creative thinking.
Open to secondary schools across 11 UK regions, this year’s challenge sees Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) partner with sports charity StreetGames to drive awareness and support for the charity. Mentored by CCE volunteers, school teams of six to eight students will work to develop a campaign to increase awareness and participation for one of four StreetGames Multi-Sport Festivals taking place all over the country this summer.
This year, four StreetGames Multi-Sport Festivals will be delivered in partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain, taking place in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow to give young people in disadvantaged communities the chance to try a new sport. Over 3,200 young people took part in these festivals in 2013 and with the help of the Real Business Challenge, the aim is to increase the number of participants.
An annual initiative, the Real Business Challenge is designed to offer students aged 13 to 15 a valuable taste of the skills needed in a business environment. Students will be competing to win a work experience placement at one of the StreetGames festivals as well as a place on an Events Management course to further build on the skills learnt throughout the competition.
With regional heats currently underway, successful candidates will battle it out in the regional finals taking place across the country between the 3rd and 13th of February ahead of the national final in London on 25th March.
Bill Muirhead, Education Programme Manager at Coca-Cola Enterprises GB, said: “The Real Business Challenge offers students first-hand business experience, giving them the chance to learn and practice the skills that will give them a competitive edge in the job market. We recognise the importance of increasing the employability and aspirations of young people and are delighted to be partnering with StreetGames this year to help make a tangible difference amongst disadvantaged communities and raise awareness of their important work with the business leaders of tomorrow.”
Jane Ashworth, CEO of StreetGames said: “The multi-sport festivals we deliver in partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain are invaluable to give young people from the most disadvantaged areas of the UK the opportunity to take part in fun, free activities with their friends. The work our own young volunteers do to inspire their local communities has shown us the power that this peer to peer approach can have so it’ll be great see what great ideas these budding entrepreneurs come up with. The opportunity for young people to develop valuable new skills for the world of work that comes from the Real Business Challenge is also something that we’re excited to be a part of.”
