The TARGETjobs National Schools’ Challenge 2015, in partnership with leading recruiters and organised by TARGETjobs Events, took place at the offices of Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co on 13 March. The winner was Yifei Painter from Nottingham Girls High School. In second place was Martin Oliver from Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham and in third place was Zach Abbs from Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge. Yifei wins £500 for being crowned the National Schools Challenge winner 2015.
Over 2,000 school and college students registered for the Challenge from all over the UK. They took a lengthy online intelligence and skills test designed by testing experts cut-e, and were ranked on their region’s leaderboard, based on how well they performed. The top 10 scoring students from each of the UK’s 10 regions were invited to the Final. At the final they took part in a variety of practical activities which included individual and group exercises devised by cut-e and TARGETjobs Events to test their decision making, creativity and business awareness. Some of the exercises were based on the typical challenges they will face at assessment centre and everyone, not just the winners, gained valuable practice for the future.
Kirsty Drummond of TARGETjobs Events said: “It was fantastic to see over 100 bright and enthusiastic students from across the UK come together to compete for the title of the National Schools Challenge winner 2015. With the support of the 10 partnering firms and our testing partner, cut-e, the students were able to experience the types of activities they may be asked to participate in at an employer’s assessment centre, and network with recruiters and business execs. Who were on hand to offer careers advice to the students throughout the day. I’m sure this was a unique and worthwhile experience for all the students who took part and hopefully it will play a part in them successfully securing their future careers.”
The TARGETjobs National School’s Challenge was organised in partnership with AECOM, Atkins, BDO, Capgemini, Deloitte, Grant Thornton, McDonald’s, PwC, Skanska, and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co. Each organisation brought representatives to answer the students’ questions about their school leaver offerings and to engage in valuable networking. The presence and support of top employers shows how important it is for UK businesses to engage with schools to identify the talented leaders of the future.
The TARGETjobs National Schools’ Challenge is open to all school/college students with no targeting or pre-selection whatsoever. The winner of the Challenge was the student who could best show that he/she had the personal skills to match their obvious intelligence.
From left to right – Martin Oliver from Pate's Grammar School, Michael Luckman Practice Leader Commercial and Projects from Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, Yifei Painter from Nottingham Girls High School, Zach Abbs from Hills Road Sixth Form College.
