Education - Meldrum Academy - Educational Programmes for Schools - Enterprise Challenge

The Client
Following the Davies Review (Enterprise and the Economy in Education - 2002) there is increasing need for school pupils to be exposed to Enterprise culture that also covers innovation, creativity, risk-management and risk-taking, and financial and business understanding.

Meldrum Academy in Aberdeenshire was therefore looking for a creative and innovative way of integrating Enterprise culture within the school curriculum for 3rd year pupils.

Appointing Fifth Dimension
We were brought in by the principal teacher and developed a dynamic 2 hour session highlighting the importance of Enterprise and Creativity.

Students are lead through a brief overview of business and enterprise enhanced with some powerful relevant magical metaphors and then organised into teams for the Enterprise Challenge. Teams have to design, create and sell as many of a given product as possible to win the challenge using chocolate coins as currency. Students learn the importance of budgeting and marketing and how to overcome design and production challenges.

The Results
Feedback from the teacher and students has been excellent. The teacher comments included "I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for coming along and, once again, delivering an excellent presentation to our S3 Business Management & Accounting and Finance pupils. Pupils clearly thoroughly enjoyed the experience and want you back!"

Comments from the students was equally positive with over 98% of the students describing the workshop as 'Good or excellent'.

Specific comments included:-

· "Interesting and fun!"
· "It was a shame it had to end"
· "Awesome!"
· "There was a lot of good information"