Business success for Tollbar Year 12s
July 17th, 2008
For the second year running, Tollbar hosted the Ogden Trust Business Competition in the Tollbar Conference and Community Centre.
This contest is run jointly by the Ogden Trust - an educational trust set up by Sir Peter Ogden - and the Business Enterprise Trust, with the Ogden Trust providing £200 towards the cost of running the event and the Principal providing a further £100 to cover catering and accommodation costs.
The competition is aimed at Year 12 students across the UK with each team working in groups of three and five teams were invited to participate - Tollbar, Grimsby Institute, Caistor Grammar, John Leggott College and Franklin College. Unfortunately, Caistor had to withdraw at the eleventh hour, leaving four teams to challenge for the prize of a passage to the Northern Area Finals in September.
Teams are challenged to provide a solution to a business problem. This year, they were required to create a business plan to advise a small organic food delivery company on how it might expand.
Background information was provided and three hours were allowed in which to prepare a presentation which the teams then gave to a panel of judges. The judges – in the manner of the Dragon’s Den – then interrogated the students over the feasibility of their proposals.
Throughout the day, students developed their skills in problem solving, analysis, team work and communication.
For the second successive year, the Tollbar team won the competition with John Leggott College second, both of these going through to the next round.
All teams found the activity very rewarding and three of the judges expressed an interest in being involved in future college-based enterprise activities.
The winning Tollbar team with judges; (l-r) Paul Kaylow (ACL, Business), Mike Brown, Clive Lockwood (Roof Seal Windows), Jon Bishop, Eloise Ottley, Rebecca Lentz (Neptune Mortgage), Rob Miller (Roof Seal Roofing)
