Enterprise Day – Year 9, 4 February – Media Team report

Category: Careers & Enterprise, Enterprise, Media Team, News, Students write

Last week, Y9 participated in Enterprise Day, which was a full school day where we learnt a lot about the world of business and this gave us a flavour of what it would be like if we chose to become entrepreneurs of the future.

This was part of the National Careers Challenge, organized by NatWest, looking for young people with bright ideas from schools across the country. The competition made it all to play for!

On a warm Wednesday morning, groups of year nines rushed to the hall for the long-awaited National Careers Challenge. This was a key opportunity for many to showcase their talent and creativity, through their wonderful business design ideas.

Students worked in teams to brainstorm and develop innovative business ideas that took inspiration from the unique skills and rich heritage of their local town or city. This approach not only encourages creativity but also instills a sense of pride in their local area. Each team had an opportunity to explore various aspects of their proposed business, including how they will effectively promote their venture within the local community.

Firstly, students elected a project leader in each group, who would effectively lead their team to success. This task involved students recognising each other’s strengths and embracing these strengths to work together proficiently as a team.

From brainstorming innovative ideas, to crafting detailed business plans, students powered through the challenges with enthusiasm. Each team worked hard to perfect their ideas, ensuring they stood out among all the competition. Teachers and experts walked around, offering advice and encouragement, and observing plans to decide on the best idea.

As the day progressed, students also considered strategies for scaling their businesses in the future using skills such as critical thinking, financial planning, and potential growth opportunities. By examining these key elements, our young entrepreneurs learnt the importance of sustainable business practices and how to adapt their ideas for long- term success.

The atmosphere buzzed with creativity and teamwork. With presentations approaching, students put the finishing touches to their presentations, eager to impress the judges. Each group was called up to the front to present their ideas through a pitch or advertisement. Students supported each other, with many presenting catchy raps and tunes, and others demonstrating artistic skills.

And at last, the winning team was announced; an incredibly tough decision to make:

Congratulations to the winners in 9-4 (Jodie, Fairouz, Eliza, Zainab, Aminah and Mahika), Their business was a family retro musical diner MB8 with links to Manchester artists. The winning team will now go onto a national final against other schools on 8 July in London.

We wish you good luck for the next round!

Here are some quotes from some Yr 9s:

“I really enjoyed when we were tasked with creating an advertisement, it really brings in lots of creativity. I also enjoyed working with other people and having many ideas I never would have thought of!”

“Helped me develop many new skills, and really showed me what being an entrepreneur looked like, but in general, it was just so fun to do!”

“Helped work on teamwork skills and was a fun experience using our knowledge to try something practical”

Written by Sarah – Year 9 – AGGS Media Team