FOLLOWING an Apprentice style business challenge, students from Helena Romanes School have been working to solve the ‘real life problems’ of local firms.

The aim of the project was to give the sixth form pupils valuable experience in the world of work and the challenges included redesigning a company’s website, creating an effective campaign to increase the profile of a brand, increasing the awareness surrounding a business, designing the window rotation for a shop to create an increase in footfall and raising awareness of social issues within the community.

Working in groups the students put forward their projects to a judging panel including staff from the 11 local firms taking part. And the five best groups went forward to the final, attended by family, friends and staff.

In a close competition the winning team was The Opticians’ group. Their challenge was to increase awareness, improve business efficiency, update and improve the retail and reception techniques in The Optician shop in Dunmow. Each member of the winning team received �100.

Head of sixth form Matt Fletcher said: “Well done to all the students. It has been a brilliant week and we now plan to run a Business Challenge every year.

“It has been good to see the students working so well together in a different environment. Many thanks to all the local business people involved.”

The companies who took part were: Jack’s of Dunmow, Progressive Furniture, the Arts Centre, The Opticians, Out There Sports, the Youth Offending Team, The Helena Romanes School, Chartwells catering services, Square 1 Restaurant, Top Banana Toys LLP and Lloyds TSB.