North Shore students star at Trade Challenge

Enterprising North Shore students star at International Trade Challenge

Two North Shore secondary school students, representing New Zealand at the 2009 FedEx Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge, have finished first and second at the competition in Singapore.

Paul Minors from Rangitoto College, partnered with Chuck Slogrove from Macleans College took out first place, while Talman Madsen from Long Bay College and teammate Amy Groom from Taradale High in Hawke’s Bay finished second.

The two New Zealand teams beat 42 teams from seven countries in the Asia-Pacific competition – the first time New Zealand has competed in the challenge.

The prestigious international competition tests the talents and entrepreneurial skills of Young Enterprise Scheme Students (YES) from around the region and saw teams undergo a two-day intensive workshop before developing strategy for introducing a new product into a foreign country. The challenge this year: develop a market entry strategy for exporting carpets to Egypt.

Paul and Chuck’s winning idea was designed to appeal to the majority Muslim population in Egypt, a traditional Egyptian rug with inbuilt radio for prayer call, a lunar clock to determine the correct time to pray, a compass which shows the correct direction of Mecca, and a carry strap for easy mobility.

“We are extremely proud of Paul and Talman’s achievement,” says Terry Hoskins, chief executive of Enterprise North Shore, who facilitates the Young Enterprise Scheme in the North Shore and Rodney regions.

“Paul and Talman are valuable members of the YES programme and display impressive business skills. The YES programme is designed to foster tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and if this is success is anything to go by, the future looks stunning.”

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