SME in Brief: Real Business Challenge winners crowned; Food industry trainers attract global audience and more

THE winners of the annual Real Business Challenge have been crowned.

Students from Queen Margaret’s School in Escrick near York took the title after battling it out against 11 other Yorkshire schools.

Organised by the Young People’s Enterprise Forum, Yorkshire Forward and Coca-Cola Enterprises, the students were given a brief to take a new soft drink to market.

As part of the challenge they were asked to write and record a radio jingle, provide a business strategy and deliver a presentation to a panel of judges including The Apprentice 2009 runner up Kate Walsh.

Ms Walsh said: “The Real Business Challenge is a great idea and I think it’s essential for young people to develop their skills in an increasingly competitive job market. Hopefully this project will perhaps inspire some future entrepreneurs.”

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SKIPTON-based food industry trainers Verner Wheelock Associates (VWA) has attracted delegates from all over the globe with its specialist courses.

A recent course held to find new flavourings for savoury dishes saw students from Australia, the United States, Vietnam, Russia and South Africa take part in the classes at Broughton Hall.

The family owned firm has forged a name for itself as a centre of training excellence in food safety and nutrition.
 
“This specialist course has added a new dimension to the business and it is particularly rewarding that our message is being heard all over the world,” said Dr Verner Wheelock, a scientist and nutritionist who established VWA in 1990.

“This lab-based course gave flavourists, product developers and project managers from leading flavour companies such as Kerry Ingredients and Flavours and Nestle a chance to step outside their normal work remit to focus on the components and construction of savoury flavours. Delegates enjoyed the opportunity to create their own process flavours from scratch as well benefiting from lectures on flavouring legislation – especially focusing on the new regulations that will be implemented in the EU in 2010.”

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AN innovative Enterprise Education Project has secured funding from the European Regional Development Fund to work with Sheffield Hallam University to introduce teachers to enterprise while they are still studying.

Rotherham Ready developed the scheme and works with schools and colleges across Rotherham to develop enterprise through the curriculum in order to equip young people with the skills and qualities required for future success.

The impact of Rotherham Ready has been highlighted at the regional finals for the National Teaching Awards for two years running. Teachers from Rotherham scooped all the awards in the category for enterprise teaching.

Now 45 primary teachers and 72 secondary trainee teachers from Sheffield Hallam University have taken part in new ‘enterprise teaching and learning enhancements’ where they learn how to develop enterprise skills through the curriculum.

Catherine Brentnall, Rotherham Ready ERDF project officer, said: “We are delighted about the funding from ERDF which will enable us to continue and develop innovative ways of creating a culture of enterprise in education. The ‘Inspire ITT’ programme we have developed and piloted at Sheffield Hallam University means that we can instil enterprise into the minds of new teachers and switch them on to its impact at the start of their careers.”

To find out more about Rotherham Ready visit www.rotherhamready.org.uk