Elephant racing on Ramsey beach, retractable grass surfaces and chip-in-the-cheek security measures were among some of the more imaginative schemes proposed by Ramsey Grammar School students in a Junior Achievement business challenge supported by Barclays Wealth.
Two challenges were presented: ‘Bank to the Future’ where students were tasked to devise a new way of banking for the 21st century and beyond, and ‘The Barclays Wealth ?1 million Ramsey Challenge’ that asked how best to invest the money in the future of the town.
A team from Barclays Wealth acted as business mentors to guide the students who, before the main action of the day, were asked to come up with how many uses a coat hanger could serve, the suggestions ranging from the risky to the risque, along with some 22 more practical applications.
Bank to the Future was won by the Aqua Bank team with their inventive pitch and ‘Keep your money flowing’ slogan, and the Barclays Wealth ?1 million Ramsey Challenge by Centretainment with their ambitious plans to develop the former Grand Island Hotel site into a leisure and entertainment complex aimed at young people.
Junior Achievement’s chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘We were extremely grateful to the Barclays Wealth team for giving up their time and sponsoring ?15 of iTunes vouchers for the winners and prizes for the runners-up. The sessions were great fun but they also had a serious side, which was to focus the students’ thinking, help develop a whole raft of life and entrepreneurial skills from communication to team working and prepare them for the “real” world of work.’
Barclays Wealth’s Ian Pilley said: ‘As one of the Island’s largest employers in the private sector Barclays Wealth is pleased to support Junior Achievement and its work to equip young people with the skills that can help them find employment in an increasingly competitive jobs market. Moreover, from our perspective, involvement in these business challenges is not only useful for our people to hone their coaching and mentoring skills but it also provides us with a valuable insight into what young customers expect from a bank.’
Junior Achievement Isle of Man is a Manx-registered charity. In the 2010-2011 academic year it ran 150 classes in 18 schools, reaching more than 4000 young people. Each year the charity needs to raise more than ?300,000. For more details contact Sue Cook, suecook@jaiom.im, telephone 666266 or call in to Junior Achievement Isle of Man, Suite 2, Peterson House, Middle River, Douglas.
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