Aspiring entrepreneurs went head-to-head in a business challenge to design a new university campus.
We are very happy to support this event because these enterprise challenges really raise the confidence levels of individuals taking part, and enable them to learn new important skills such as research, presentation skills, and team work. It's great to see their development through the process.
As part of The National Skills Challenge, which runs in partnership with NatWest and UCFB, participants from local colleges were set a challenge by the University Campus Football Business (UCFB).
The UCFB currently operates out of Wembley, Man City and Burnley in the UK. And students were asked to asked to research a country in Asia where the next UCFB campus could be situated – and why.
A total of six groups of students took part in the Higher Horizons + funded regional finals, which took place at Staffordshire University.
Higher Horizons+ NCOP Hub Manager Helen Norman said: "This was an excellent evening with Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group(NSCG) winning for the second year running. They really impressed the judges with their ideas and professional presentation.
"Last year’s winning team was also from NSCG, and went on to win the final in London, gaining an internship at NatWest HQ. We are very happy to support this event because these enterprise challenges really raise the confidence levels of individuals taking part, and enable them to learn new important skills such as research, presentation skills, and team work. It's great to see their development through the process."
Each team had to deliver a four-minute ‘Dragon’s Den’ style presentation to a panel of judges.And three winning teams – from Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College and Paulet Sixth Form in Burton – will now attend the national finals at the Natwest headquarters in London on April 4.
Ben Dyer, co-founder of The Inspirational Learning Groupand a graduate of Staffordshire University, said: “It was great to see so many young business people at the event. The challenge set by UCFB was tough, but the standard of presentations and end result was great to see.