Enterprising Wellingborough students win plaudits and top three finish for digital dexterity at virtual national finals

The students pitted their business brains against schools from across the UK
Team Empneo from Wellingborough School before lockdownTeam Empneo from Wellingborough School before lockdown
Team Empneo from Wellingborough School before lockdown

Students at a Wellingborough secondary school have finished on the podium of a prestigious annual competition and walked away with an award for innovation.

A team of pupils from Wellingborough School took part in the Young Enterprise 39th Annual Company Programme of the Year Awards 2020.

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The 'Celebration of Young People’s Enterprising Mindset in the UK ' was hosted online due to the coronavirus restrictions with team Empneo placing third overall and winning the Digital Resilience Award.

Sharon Davies, chief executive officer at Young Enterprise, said: “This year, students across the country have set up companies over the academic year, making all the decisions about their business, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products – despite the challenging conditions due to Covid-19.

"Reaching the Young Enterprise Company Programme National final represents an inspirational journey for students with many months of hard work, teamwork, creativity and resilience. Congratulations to all our winners.

"The experience and skills students from every team will have developed will stay with them for many years to come and will make a tangible difference to their futures.

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"Students have shown particular resilience this year by continuing with their product development and sales throughout this challenging time”.

Members of the Wellingborough School team during their online interviewMembers of the Wellingborough School team during their online interview
Members of the Wellingborough School team during their online interview

It was the first year that the Avanade’s Digital Resilience Award has been handed out.

The Wellingborough School team won it after demonstrating the ability to rethink their ways of working, adapt to the new virtual world and present themselves and their business with impact during the online interview panels.

Young Enterprise is a national charity focused on equipping young people with the skills needed to learn to earn and look after their money, to develop an enterprising mindset and to make a valuable contribution to their communities and wider society.

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The Young Enterprise Company Programme started in 1963 and since then, 1.1 million young people have taken part across the UK.

The 2020 winner for Best Company of the Year, supported by HSBC UK, was King Edward VI School in the West Midlands. They were judged against a strict set of criteria including innovation, sales, marketing, financial performance, social impact and teamwork.

Ian Stuart, chief executive officer of sponsors HSBC UK, said: “As businesses large and small are facing new and unprecedented challenges to meet the needs of their customers and wider stakeholders, it’s more important than ever that we support and nurture young, innovative entrepreneurs across Britain.

"The resilience and leadership shown by this year’s cohort of Company Programme finalists is inspiring, and we look forward to their continuing success in the months and years to come.”

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