An enterprising collaboration

Castle Manor Business & Enterprise College in Haverhill ran a number of special activities to celebrate National Enterprise Week

The college, for 13-18 year olds, which was granted Business and Enterprise Status in January and started the autumn term with its new identity, also invited the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and Industry to help organise and run a competition based on the television series The Apprentice. Paul Donno, the chairman of the Haverhill Chamber, played the role of Sir Alan Sugar, who hosts the television show, using his own business, Breeze Business Solutions, as a focal point for a series of challenging tasks for the contestants.

Breeze Business Solutions is a specialist in the supply, installation, training and provision of upgrades and support packages for Sage software.

The tasks for the young "apprentices" were based upon looking at the way Breeze
Business Solutions presented itself to the marketplace and how the company could
improve it's marketing, in terms of activity and who it was targeting.

There was also a task prepared by Stephen Walker from Motivation Matters, experts in the field of people and motivation management, which involved team building.
On the first morning, a Monday, ten students were selected to become contestants, based upon the application that they had already submitted the preceding week. Each morning Paul Donno set a challenging task for the students to complete that day, in preparation for the infamous `hiring' and `firing' deliberation the following morning. With the final session being held on Friday afternoon, the winner could look forward to winning a brand new laptop computer,courtesy of Teleplan Computer
Maintenance Services, who are based in Colchester.

Laura Humphry, the winning contestant recorded her experiences of the week in a daily diary. On the first day the task was to sell five tickets for a Charity Fashion Show taking place on Wednesday evening; Laura sold her five tickets raising £65.00.

According to Laura's journal: "That day I learnt to approach people professionally, with a business talk prepared, and to be persuasive in what I said. I also created a leaflet, and came up with a bidding idea. I really enjoyed that task, as it made me feel like a businesswoman, and I had a small experience in the business world."

Tuesday's task was to identify four potential clients for Breeze Business Solutions; this involved contacting local businesses. Laura reported: "I had to ring local businesses - which was at first nerveracking but then I found it was really enjoyable. I felt really professional, and grown up, and enjoyed the task. It was quite difficult writing a report, but I included everything I needed."

Paul Donno comments: "The standard of the reports produced by Laura and Liam Plumridge, the eventual runner-up, was exceptional. They both showed a real determination and dedication to the task in hand - fundamental characteristics to be successful in business."

By Wednesday the tension was mounting and the six remaining "apprentices" found the task set by Motivation Matters tough and challenging. Laura reports: "I developed new learning skills, including leadership skills and how to work as a team. We had to come up with ideas and evaluate these ideas and change them so that we got the best time. I really enjoyed that task as it was different and exciting."

Thursday's task was to write a full report on Breeze Business Solutions and then prepare a presentation that would have to be given to the whole school. This task was so daunting that one of the "apprentices" decided to pull out, leaving only one to be "fired" - the competition was "hotting" up!

Paul explained that this was the toughest challenge. "All four remaining contestants had to prepare the report and presentation knowing that only two of them would actually get the opportunity to present. We were moving into the realms of real business now!"

The final two "apprentices" were announced on Friday morning, Laura and Liam made their presentations to a full school assembly on Friday afternoon. Their presentations styles were very different, Laura was very calm and composed although her diary reveals she was nervous and shaking throughout! Liam was full of energy and enthusiasm for what he had discovered about Breeze and was quite forceful in his recommendations.

Paul Donno concludes: "It was difficult to eliminate the final contestant but Laura had shone all week and in the end the prize had to be hers. All those people involved in The Apprentice took the competition seriously and in the spirit in which it was intended. They should all feel good because they took part, they experienced first hand what it is like to be in a business situation. These pupils were exposed to the pressures, the ups and downs, disappointments, the frustrations of business. Laura felt what it was like to succeed - I hope that feeling stays with her for a long time, she will make a great businesswoman. The Apprentice was a fantastic event to be involved with - it really underpins what the status of Business and Enterprise College is all about. Castle Manor can be proud of their achievements during National Enterprise Week."