The School Enterprise Challenge is an international entrepreneurship program for primary and secondary schools. Participants are guided through the process of creating a school-based business, teaching them valuable skills and establishing a means to raise funds for other school programs.
Registration is open and flexible. Schools may start the program at any time and run it as a part of the curriculum or as an extracurricular activity. Teams will also have the chance to enter competitions throughout the year for cash prizes.
Eligibility
This program is open to primary and secondary schools. The application must be submitted by a teacher or Head Teacher/Principal.
Program Steps
Step One
During Step One, teams complete the provided worksheets to assess available resources and brainstorm business ideas. The chosen idea should address a community need and be feasible based on the resources available. Finally, they will decide how the profits from their business will be spent.
Step Two
In Step Two, teams create a business plan. First, they do market research to learn what potential customers want from the service or product the business will provide. From this information, they then create a marketing plan to promote the business.
During this step, teams will also create a budget and an operational plan to designate roles and responsibilities. After it is completed, a business expert will look at and provide feedback on the plan.
Step Three
In Step Three, teams launch their business and begin making their product or providing their service. As they gain on-the-job experience and interact directly with customers, adjustments can and should be made.
Teams will be expected to submit an Annual Report which reflects on the challenges they faced and what they learned. Financial reports must also be included, so it’s essential to maintain careful bookkeeping from the start of the business.
Competitions
Throughout their participation, teams will have the chance to participate in competitions for monetary prizes. Mini-competitions occur regularly and every year there are awards for Best Business Idea, Best Business Plan, and Best Business Implementation.
Upcoming competition deadlines:
- Business Idea – October 22, 2024
- Business Plan – December 3, 2024
- School Business Implemented – December 3, 2024 and March 11, 2025
