University News Last updated 04 April 2014
Students from Birmingham City University have fought off national competition to secure two spots, in the final six, of the National Apprentice Challenge 2014.
This weekend will see two teams of budding entrepreneurs from Birmingham City Business School head up to Canary Wharf - the heart of London’s business district – where they will thrash out business ideas in the hope of out-smarting their competitors.
Taking place between Saturday 5 April – Sunday 6 April, the final will see the competition winners walking away with £5,000 prize money, six months of business mentoring and the opportunity to work with Richard Branson in the Entrepreneurs in Space Scheme - where they will work on activities leading up to the first flights up to space.
Having kicked off in March 2014, over 200 students have taken part in the action-packed programme working their way through practical challenges and strategy sessions, with the semi-finals having taken place at Birmingham City Council, from Friday 28 March – Saturday 29 March.
Challenges have so far included business pitches to the Trinity Mirror Group to secure £100k worth of investment funding and the setting up of a market stall in Birmingham City Centre, where groups were expected to draw crowds in and sell as many Mother’s Day gifts as possible, in one trading day.
The National Apprentice Challenge is the largest live competition for creative and ambitious students in the UK. The purpose of the programme is to help the participants decide what career they want to pursue by offering them the chance to practically experience all the stages of running a business, as well as working in a globally-renowned corporation.